Chairman Jim Parmenter has released the following statement.

Following the suspension of the National League and corresponding advice from the FA and the government, I have today instructed that all footballing and social activity within the Club will be suspended until further notice.

Crabble is ‘locked down’ and will not be open for visitors unless it is a vital matter and a prior appointment is made.

I have already made it public that I am very concerned about the dire financial position this places our Club and football at our level in.  We are already seeing the effect this is having on employment within the industry.

It is clear there will be some difficult conversations to be had in the next couple of weeks and nobody should be in any doubt of the hardship this will bring to many people.

I am in constant contact with the League and I am hopeful, although not confident, that financial support may be forthcoming from the Authorities or the Government.

My focus must be to somehow try to ensure that the club emerges from this able to play football in the future.