Tonbridge Angels has been made aware of a statement released to the parents of players of Tonbridge Juniors FC on Saturday 14 September. That statement contains several inaccuracies which we will be addressing directly with TJFC. In the meantime, the club makes the following statement.

In 2022, Tonbridge Angels entered an arrangement with TJFC to provide them with extensive use of our 3G pitch for their training and matches. Regrettably, and with the benefit of hindsight, it is clear that the agreement we made was not sustainable.

Over the past 16 months, we have met with committee members from TJFC several times to try to negotiate a fairer pitch hire rate going forward, as the preferential rate of just £80 per hour for the hire of over 16 prime hours of our FIFA certified 3G pitch is simply not viable for the club. We have tried to offer an alternative rate that was still at a significant discount to rates typically paid by other users, but this was rejected.

We have been very open with TJFC’s  management committee about our financial commitment to our pitch investors, all Angels supporters, who privately funded the cost of our pitch. We have a legal commitment to pay investors back over 5 years and have explained to TJFC’s committee that their low pitch hire rate, the unprecedented increase in utility costs since installation, and their consumption of so many peak time hours, means that their preferential rate is no longer sustainable.

We fully acknowledge the mistake we made entering into the arrangement with TJFC at excessively preferential rates, and unfortunately, the situation could not  continue. Despite our best efforts to explain our concerns about the agreement, TJFC’s committee have been unwilling to agree to a  fairer agreement, with a more realistic pitch hire rate.

We have therefore sadly had to end the pitch hire agreement with TJFC and have given TJFC a full football season’s notice that the agreement will cease at the end of May 2025.  As a supporter owned football club, we must make sure we are financially sustainable and we have to make difficult decisions like this in the best interests of Tonbridge Angels, and particularly against a background of significantly inflating costs in recent years. 

We will continue to support all TJFC teams training and playing on our Longmead pitch during the 24/25 football season. TJFC’s Committee declined to offer its players the opportunity to be mascots at games this season, which we were more than happy to continue with. We were also happy to continue to provide TJFC players with community season ticket passes but TJFC’s committee also declined this. Nevertheless, we are still offering all TJFC players (and any children under 16 playing for junior clubs in the region) free community season ticket passes. These are available on matchdays, and parents are welcome to contact the club for further information about how this works.

We have greatly enjoyed hosting the children and parents of TJFC at Longmead and are deeply saddened that the intransigent stance taken by TJFC’s Committee means that the players of TJFC will be denied the benefits of a continuing association with Angels in the future. However, all players and parents of TJFC will always remain very welcome at the club, in what is shaping up to be an exciting season for the club. 

In the coming months we will also actively be exploring ways in which we can engage more effectively with local children and junior sides in the region, and forge a new and more meaningful pathway to the first team for local young players.