Chatham Town have decided to tackle Ryman League, Division 1 North next season.

Chairman Jeff Talbot was concerned about taking the club on a path to financial ruin, after the Football Association once more put them in the northern division, denying them a host of Kent derbies in the south section.

A number of options were available for the Maidstone Road club, including dropping down to the Kent League or quitting altogether but a meeting on Tuesday night of the club’s board and management ended with an agreement to carry on.

Mr Talbot said: “We’ve put one or two things in place to help us through the season and we’ll see how we get on.”

The chairman said it was “highly likely” they would scrap the reserve team while hoping money generated in the newly refurbished clubhouse and through the academy helps balance the books.

One benefit in dropping the reserves would be to give the club additional Saturday afternoons where the pitch can be hired
out.

Mr Talbot added: “We’ve got a lot of work to do to achieve parity and now is when the really hard work starts.”