TROUBLED Margate have been further rocked by the news that owner and chairman John Webb has resigned.
Webb’s decision to leave the struggling National League South club came just days after long-serving secretary Ken Tomlinson also stepped down.
Webb, who was already a director at Hartsdown Park, took charge of the club after benefactor Bob Laslett decided to walk away from the Kent side towards the end of last season.
He says being chairman of the club should have been “pleasant” but ended up being a “nightmare” with the Gate struggling financially.
Webb has claimed the club were promised a series of payments from Laslett following his surprise departure, but they never arrived.
A number of first team players have left in recent weeks with fears over the club’s future and they are currently just one point and one place above the relegation zone.
Alistair Bayliss will now become chairman and majority shareholder of the National League South outfit and Webb says he’s the right man for the job.
Outgoing chairman Webb said in a statement: “My period as chairman should have been a pleasant one, but turned into a nightmare.
“I, and Margate Football Club have been let down very badly with false hope and promises, from people who knew better. I have come across lies and deceit from the top down.
“People who only had their personal interest at heart and not the benefit of the club, the systematic dismantling of both the financial structure and the commercial structure has lead to situations where the club has been seriously undermined.
“We have now overcome these obstacles and reinstated some semblance of control. It has taken this long to rectify the wrong doings and get people into positions who do not have ‘hidden agendas’.
“Having said that, the club also has very good people now working within it to take it forward. All the team members and volunteers who are in these positions are excellent and are doing a fantastic job and will continue to do so.
“I cannot thank Nikki (Bull, manager) for all he has done, the club is very fortunate in having a person like him as its manager. Alistair will now become chairman and also majority shareholder of the club he and I cannot thank Alistair enough. We have worked really well together and I know he is the right person to take MFC forward.”
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