GRAVESEND and Northfleet Football Club’s board of directors have gone public in expressing concern at dwindling attendances.

The Fleet’s summer decision to make the quantum leap in moving from part-time to full-time football has not been met with the desired response at the gate.

Directors estimate that gates are 250 down on the corresponding time last year.

Club secretary Roly Edwards admitted: "We cannot understand where the missing 250 or so fans have gone.

"It’s true that admission prices are up and the use of the Northfleet End has been restricted. But can these fully explain the shortfall?

"While the price increases seem large in percentage terms, it is £2 and £1 at the end of the day, and that doesn’t buy much nowadays.

"The Northfleet End was fully closed at the end of last season and didn’t markedly affect our gates then.

"It is certainly not performances on the pitch as we are playing attractive football as well as having realistic ambitions of getting into the play-offs.

"It may be the combination of many factors but this present side definitely deserves more support."

Club chairman Brian Kilcullen added: "We discussed the matter of falling gates at our board meeting last week and we will be bringing in new initiatives very soon."