KENT'S David Fulton has written to each of the county club’s 130 full and part-time employees to explain the thinking behind his decision to stand down as skipper.

Fulton’s letter of abdication hit the doormats of club officials, committee men, players, stewards, groundstaff and caterers on Tuesday morning detailing his decision to resign after four years at the helm.

In his first interview following the announcement, Fulton said: "I’m standing down not just as captain to the team, it’s as captain of the club and, as I couldn’t get around to seeing everyone face to face, I felt it right and proper to let them all know in a letter.

"I’ve always felt everyone at the club matters, from the first steward at the front gate to the groundsman, through to the barman, they are all crucial and all play their part, so I tried to make them all aware at the same time.

"I love the people at the club but I wanted to get the message across that although I’m going as captain we must all still go that extra yard to survive in the current climate."

In his letter, Fulton told club employees he would remain totally committed to the cause albeit solely as a player in 2006, but he called for any in-fighting to cease, in writing: "I want Kent to be fearless and share in a vision, let the bitching, moaning and complaining be for other clubs."

In hinting that he felt his captaincy position had been undermined this summer, he added: "It is not a fight I am winning on the field, where I am having less and less influence, nor off it, where we need to meet huge challenges with cool heads and strong hearts."

Fulton added: "We should be a top team, but we are competing against some bigger clubs with a lot more financial clout than ourselves.

"My vision was that we could compete with these other clubs by making Kent that little bit quirky and different in terms of team spirit.

“I wanted the Kent way and out marvellous traditions to work for us, but the lack of my own form and the weakening of my leadership situation after losing the one-day captaincy meant I could no longer drive things forward as I wanted."