A well-attended Fans Forum was held at Hartsdown Park last night, giving supporters the chance to hear directly from Chairman Ricky Owen and First Team Manager Ben Greenhalgh about the latest developments on and off the pitch.
Chairman Ricky Owen opened the evening by providing an update on the ongoing development work at Hartsdown Park. He confirmed that the club is in the process of submitting a planning application for the new South Stand, which will include a new stand, 59 co-living units, and undercroft parking. .
Owen also explained that work continues on the North Stand, which is being internally adjusted to ensure it can properly handle operations during the eventual move away from the South Stand once redevelopment begins.
On the football side, Manager Ben Greenhalgh addressed supporters directly, acknowledging that the current league position is below his own expectations and reassuring fans that he and the chairman are in constant dialogue about improvements.
Greenhalgh also provided an update on player fitness and injuries:
• Tom Derry remains sidelined with a fractured ankle.
• Brandon Davey avoided surgery on his hip injury but is likely to remain sidelined until February.
• Gabriel Duo is close to returning to training after nearly 10 months out, though his workload will be carefully managed to avoid setbacks.
• Lewis Knight’s knee injury could keep him out until December.
Following the updates, the floor was opened for questions from supporters. Owen highlighted the recent introduction of a Square payment system, which he believes will help reduce queues on matchdays, and confirmed that the club continues to recruit additional matchday staff to improve supporter experience.
Addressing communication, the chairman stated that Margate FC works hard to keep fans informed across its official website and social media channels. He added that while the club will always update supporters when there is genuine news to share, it will never make false promises.
When further questioned on whether the North Stand would actually commence, Owen remarked that whilst no definite date can be given, a commitment from the owner since 2017 has seen a new 3G pitch laid, new changing rooms and a new five-aside complex built on site at significant cost, demonstrating the owners commitment to improving facilities at Hartsdown Park.
During the meeting, Owen reaffirmed his and the Board’s commitment to always trying to improve the club every day, including the local Community outreach which will now see an improvement after the news this week of the Youth section becoming fully integrated into the clubs structure. Owen said the introduction of Salim Usman onto the board will help improve that over the coming months.
To close the evening, Owen thanked fans for their continued support and confirmed the club’s intention to host more regular Fans Forums going forward, ensuring open communication remains at the heart of Margate’s relationship with its supporters.
