Alistair Bayliss has revealed how his return to Margate came about following an SOS by the club’s supporters.

Mr Bayliss was unveiled as the club’s new director and co-chairman designate during last Thursday’s fans forum in the Hartsdown Park clubhouse.

The Eastry-based businessman had previously enjoyed a short spell on the Gate board during 2014, but left within a few months unhappy at the direction the club was being led at that time.

Mr Bayliss, who has previously also served on Dover’s board, said: “Bob Laslett (Margate’s previous owner/chairman) invited me onto the board of directors because he was aware that the people around him did not have a great deal of non-league experience.

“I joined the board but resigned fairly swiftly after because I did not like the direction the club was being pointed in and didn’t agree with it. The reason I got back involved was because I was contacted by some supporters via social media. They said ‘We’re in real trouble can you help?’

“I asked them to get John (present Gate chairman John Webb) to give me a call and I’d take it from there.

“John filled me in with regards to the club’s plight and we then had a meeting the following
week.

“I’d sort of kept abreast of developments but must admit the extent of how badly the club had been left (financially) has taken me by surprise.”

Mr Bayliss is managing director of Deal-based Bayliss Executive Travel, and his company will provide Margate’s away transport for the rest of the season, a deal worth five figures to the club.

The company, established in 2004, are already official travel partners with Kent County Cricket Club, Ebbsfleet United FC and Canterbury Rugby Club, as well as being main sponsors for Deal Town FC.

Mr Bayliss says he must remain co-chairman designate at Hartsdown until ‘certain legal issues are resolved’ but he sees great potential at Margate and is looking forward to working with manager Nikki Bull.

He also says the response of supporters at the forum gave him great encouragement.
He said: “I was expecting 20 or 30 people to come but about 150 turned out and that gave us a great deal of heart.

“There was initially a lot of negativity because of what’s gone on before but that negativity turned very quickly to positivity.

“There is a great deal of potential here but it’s going to take a lot of hard work from everyone, from the board down to the supporters.”

Mr Bayliss says he and Mr Webb are particularly keen to re-structure the club and on Monday, Ricky Owen was announced as director designate while former CEO Ryan Day has returned, in charge of operations and media.

Owen works at Sandwich Technology School as part of the Chelsea FC Foundation Academy and is also director and head coach for Pace Soccer Schools.

Mr Bayliss says the club hope to announce two more new board members shortly and are also close to appointing a commercial manager.

He added: “In many respects we’ve got a clean sheet of
paper. It’s about building bricks, putting the right people in place to enable us to move forward.”