Whitstable Town have become the latest Kent club to announce plans to install a 3G pitch in time for next season.

The Belmont outfit follow in the footsteps of rivals Herne Bay and National League South Tonbridge Angels who also recently said they hope to replace their grass pitch this summer.

The work is due to begin on May 16 at The Belmont.

While finance covering the £600,000 budget, including a grant from the Football Foundation, is said to be in place, Isthmian South East strugglers Whitstable have launched a GoFundMe to raise the final £10,000 required.

Announcing the news on their club website on Easter Friday, Whitstable chairman Steve Clayton said: “This is a huge step forward for the club.

“I want to thank my fellow directors, Joe Boniface of Velocity, and the Football Foundation, for their support that was crucial to ensuring the project's success. Sincere thanks must also go to the investors who have been prepared to come on board and be part of this enormously exciting project.

“The current directors and I are simply custodians of this fantastic club.

“Still, we want to ensure that future generations - whether they play or watch and support - will be able to enjoy a sporting hub of excellence for many decades to come.”

The club say the new pitch will allow much greater use of The Belmont sporting facility, which will greatly benefit the youth teams, Academy, reserves and over-50s walking football, as well as providing a permanent training base for the first-team.

New floodlights, dugouts, fencing and pathways will also be installed alongside the 3G FIFA Quality Pro surface.

As things stand, it will leave a limited number of Step 3 and 4 clubs in the county, including Folkestone, Hythe, Faversham and Sittingbourne, playing on traditional grass surfaces by the start of the 2022/23 campaign if all work is completed as planned.

On the pitch, the Oystermen are working to maintain their Isthmian South East status.

Bottom of the table, they host rivals Faversham (1pm kick-off) today, visit Ramsgate on Monday and end their season at home to Lancing.

To donate through the club’s GoFundMe page, click here.

More than £400 has already been raised in less than a day.