The last game in February is a visit to Erith & Belvedere (Groundsharing with Welling United) on Saturday 24th February 2024. The match kicks off at 3.00pm. The Deres play at Acclaim Handling Community Stadium, Park View Road, Welling, Greater London, DA16 1SY which is 53.7 miles from Winch’s Field.

We have previously met in the Athenian League in 1973/74 and in the Kent League (1978/79 – 1981/82 & 2005/06 – 2011/12). The club was established in 1922 as part of a restructure of Belvedere & District, which had been formed in 1918. They played in the Kent League, the London League and the Athenian League and after finishing second-from-bottom of the Athenian League in 1977/78, the club returned to the Kent League. Erith & Belvedere were Division One champions in 1981/82, earning promotion to the Southern League. After several seasons of struggling, the club dropped back into the Kent League in 2005. In 2012/13 they were league champions and secured promotion to the Isthmian League Division One North. However, the following season saw them finish bottom of the division, resulting in relegation back to the Kent League, now renamed the Southern Counties East League. In 2016/17 they finished bottom of the league's Premier Division and were relegated to Division One. The 2018/19 season saw the club finish as runners-up in Division One, earning promotion back to the Premier Division. They were Premier Division champions in 2022/23 and earned promotion to the Isthmian League again.

After making several notable signings, including ex-Bay players Jordan Perrin, Finn O’Mara, Marcel Barrington and Jerson Dos Santos, and indicating that they were looking for a second successive promotion, they started the season with two wins and two defeats and reached a season’s high of tenth. They then faltered, the budget was reduced and players began to leave wholesale. A nosedive in results and table position followed and whilst Beckenham Town have prevented them hitting rock bottom, they have been in an automatic relegation place since early January. They did pick up a rare point in a 0-0 draw at Winch’s Field back in October when they still had their full squad. Manager Matt Longhurst said he was determined to stay and fight for the team but then changed his mind and resigned. Longhurst was replaced by Billy Hamlin and Jamie Phipps

They have used a remarkable 81 players so far this campaign and that includes Dan Parkinson who made 45+9 appearances for Bay, scoring six goals, in 2014/15 & 2015/16 and it came as no surprise to see that he was booked in four of his first five outings for the Deres. They have won five, drawn four and lost 18 of their 27 league fixtures and have the worst scoring record in the league having netted just 15 times (17 less than the next worst team) and have the worst goal difference of -46, having conceded 61 times. They have recently committed to staying at Park View Road with Welling United after moving there in 1999 after the main stand at their previous ground was burnt down in 1997. The Dere’s average attendance so far this season is 171 compared to Herne Bay’s of 489.

Erith & Belvedere are in 19th place, 14 positions and 27 points below Herne Bay. The Deres have played one more game than Bay.

Admission: £10 – Adults, £5 - Concessions (Over 65's, Students, Current & Ex Military), Free - Under 16's.
Tickets can be purchased online using the following link; https://app.fanbaseclub.com/Fan/Tickets/SelectType?fixtureId=4726
Alternatively, cash and card can be paid on the day at the turnstiles.

The Herne Bay supporters will be travelling to the game by train, leaving Herne Bay Railway station at 10.20am.

Car Parking: Please note they have no parking area inside the ground but there is ample parking in the surrounding streets. Coaches can only drop off outside the ground but cannot park there.

Looking ahead.
HOME. Saturday 2nd March 2024. Hythe Town. 3.00pm kick-off.
Away. Saturday 9th March 2024. Three Bridges. 3.00pm kick-off.
Away. Saturday 16th March 2024. Merstham. 3.00pm kick-off.
HOME. Saturday 23rd March 2024. Sevenoaks Town. 3.00pm kick-off.
Away. Tuesday 26th March 2024. Hythe Town. 7.45pm kick-off.
HOME. Saturday 30th March 2024. East Grinstead Town. 3.00pm kick-off.