By Andrew Gidley

Chatham Town chairman Jeff Talbot admits the recent lack of football has made a big hole in the club’s finances.

The Ryman League Division 1 South side’s last outing was a 4-1 defeat at Whitehawk nearly three weeks ago, but more worrying is the fact they haven’t played at their Maidstone Road ground since losing 2-0 against Godalming Town on November 13.

Mr Talbot (pictured) said: "It has certainly hit us badly, and the loss of home games has probably cost us in the region of £9,000 so far.

"We still have to pay rent, the bills keep coming in, but no gate revenue leaves us with negative cash flow."

Chatham’s planned free entry day against Chipstead the week before Christmas, funded by club sponsors Plumbfix, was scuppered by the weather, while the early postponement of Monday’s game against Eastbourne Town was a formality with two inches of snow still on the pitch.

Mr Talbot said: "I have got three boxes of programmes here which had to be printed because of the Christmas holidays, but will now be unused."