Sittingbourne will leave their home at Bourne Park at the end of this season. Picture: Darren Small.

by Craig Tucker

Sittingbourne will play home matches at Woodstock Park from next season in a move that will save the club.

Rent and running costs have priced the Brickies out of Bourne Park and they will leave when their lease expires at the end of the season.

Chairman Andy Spice said: "The move will save the club. If we don’t move, we’ll fold because we can’t afford to be at Bourne Park. It’s just not financially viable."

Brickies secretary John Pitts confirmed the FA and Ryman League are happy with the move to Woodstock Park.

The club have a contingency plan to play home games at Whitstable’s Belmont ground but, with minimal work required, Pitts is confident Bourne will start next season at Woodstock.

He said: "Woodstock is an amazing option for us. They have new state-of-the-art floodlights and a new 150-seat stand. And with the improvements we’re able to make, we’ll have it up to Ryman League standard by the start of next season."

Read the full story in this week's Sittingbourne News Extra.