KEVIN KING, managing director of Heritage International Transport Ltd, pledged £250 for every other £250 received by the Fighting Fund yesterday – and it raised a staggering £7,000.

King, who is a big Whites fan, promised on this website’s fans forum to match all £250 pledges and donations until he had paid a maximum total of £5,000.

The club received 14 donations, for a total of £3,500, and King’s company will match that – meaning the Fighting Fund will received £7,000 from just one day’s fundraising.

But there is more good news. King has now offered to match further £250 donations until he has paid £5,000 into the club’s Fighting Fund.

So that means we just need another SIX donations to see this scheme raise an amazing £10,000.

King said: “What a magnificent response from all concerned, No pre knowledge or notification of this event happening, just a great and positive reaction – It just goes to prove the local (and not so local) people do have what it takes to save this club.

“The amount of money raised so far, not just this event has been first class. Thank you everyone who has contributed.

“We still have work to do to achieve the aim – but what a boost.”

And he added: “In view of this very generous gesture by so many, we will keep this offer open to ensure that its maximum benefit is achieved.

“In the 16 hours our offer was open, we had 14 donations. If the other six people are able pledge the same amount then we will honour our pledge to match that as well.

“Let’s get to that £5,000 figure, generating £10,000 for the club in one event. Thank you all very much – I hope we have gone along way to achieving the ultimate.”

KEVIN KING, managing director of Heritage International Transport Ltd, pledged £250 for every other £250 received by the Fighting Fund yesterday – and it raised a staggering £7,000.

King, who is a big Whites fan, promised on this website’s fans forum to match all £250 pledges and donations until he had paid a maximum total of £5,000.

The club received 14 donations, for a total of £3,500, and King’s company will match that – meaning the Fighting Fund will received £7,000 from just one day’s fundraising.

But there is more good news. King has now offered to match further £250 donations until he has paid £5,000 into the club’s Fighting Fund.

So that means we just need another SIX donations to see this scheme raise an amazing £10,000.

King said: “What a magnificent response from all concerned, No pre knowledge or notification of this event happening, just a great and positive reaction – It just goes to prove the local (and not so local) people do have what it takes to save this club.

“The amount of money raised so far, not just this event has been first class. Thank you everyone who has contributed.

“We still have work to do to achieve the aim – but what a boost.”

And he added: “In view of this very generous gesture by so many, we will keep this offer open to ensure that its maximum benefit is achieved.

“In the 16 hours our offer was open, we had 14 donations. If the other six people are able pledge the same amount then we will honour our pledge to match that as well.

“Let’s get to that £5,000 figure, generating £10,000 for the club in one event. Thank you all very much – I hope we have gone along way to achieving the ultimate.”

FIGHTING FUND trustee Mike Webb today confirmed that £10,000 has been raised in SIX days to help save the club from closure.

Webb, of Town Centre Management, is running the Fighting Fund which is hoping to reach a £48,000 target by December 31.

But it is important that everyone understands that there is still a VERY LONG WAY to go before the club can escape a winding up order being served against them in early January.

Webb said: “It is an astonishing start to our fundraising efforts. We’ve only had six days of raising money and to reach £10,000 is brilliant.

“We’ve had lots of cheques pouring in and the online donations are approaching £1,000 at a rapid pace too. I’d like to thank everyone who has dug into their pockets to help us save the club from the very real threat of closure in the New Year.

“There is much more work to do because we’ve got another £38,000 to raise. That’s a huge amount of money to find but if everyone can help out and be generous there is every chance we can reach our target.”

Meanwhile, a bucket collection at the 2-2 draw with Leyton on Tuesday raised £415.10, with coppers still be counted. In addition, the Supporters Trust sold some Calender Girls calenders, raising £80.50. More of these are available at £3.50 each from the Club Shop this Saturday.

FIGHTING FUND trustee Mike Webb today confirmed that £10,000 has been raised in SIX days to help save the club from closure.

Webb, of Town Centre Management, is running the Fighting Fund which is hoping to reach a £48,000 target by December 31.

But it is important that everyone understands that there is still a VERY LONG WAY to go before the club can escape a winding up order being served against them in early January.

Webb said: “It is an astonishing start to our fundraising efforts. We’ve only had six days of raising money and to reach £10,000 is brilliant.

“We’ve had lots of cheques pouring in and the online donations are approaching £1,000 at a rapid pace too. I’d like to thank everyone who has dug into their pockets to help us save the club from the very real threat of closure in the New Year.

“There is much more work to do because we’ve got another £38,000 to raise. That’s a huge amount of money to find but if everyone can help out and be generous there is every chance we can reach our target.”

Meanwhile, a bucket collection at the 2-2 draw with Leyton on Tuesday raised £415.10, with coppers still be counted. In addition, the Supporters Trust sold some Calender Girls calenders, raising £80.50. More of these are available at £3.50 each from the Club Shop this Saturday.

Steve Browne held a meeting with his players on Saturday to discuss why they have not been picking up the points their performances have deserved.

The Whites boss – who is keeping the on-the-field battle against relegation going while the fans and community fight to save the club – insists that spirits are high despite a hard week.

First was the superb performance at Eastleigh which went unrewarded with a 1-0 defeat, then there was the injury-time equaliser by Harrow at the Hoverspeed Stadium on Tuesday night and finally the bombshell announcement on Thursday that the club needed £48,000 by New Year’s Eve or face closure.

That would be enough to send anyone heading for the drinks cabinet and perhaps Browne did have a tipple on Thursday night.

But the Dover manager said: “It’s been an extremely tough week for the club and I knew when I came here that things were difficult for Dover.

“Obviously, the VAT thing has come has an extra shock and the club have got to go out to find the money.

“Too be honest, I am just trusting the directors. They’ve stuck to their word on everything so far and I expect them to stick to their word on this one. They are going to try hard to reach the £48,000 target and from what I can see already they are doing just that.

“The players have been very understanding about the situation and we’re happy to help in every way we can. We’ve arranged to play supporters in a fundraiser, play a Dover old boys team – with people like Maurice Munden and Leroy Ambrose coming down – and there’s lots of other fundraisers that we’re getting involved in.

“What attracted the players to Dover was the set-up and potential. You can see that this club is geared to be in the Conference. That is where Dover should be. We want to get it there but of course there are lots of big battles to win first.

“This is a big battle off-the-field. Meanwhile, we’re fighting a big battle on-the-field. It’s going to be tough but you just all have to stick together to get through.”

The Blitz spirit has now spread throughout the club and tonight (Tuesday) Whites take on high-riding Leyton and Browne is expecting an extremely tough match but hopes his men can edge it.

He said: “Leyton are well-organised but they do concede goals. All we’ve got to do is stay tight and take our chances. Then, hopefully, we have a chance of winning. We do need to win because our performances merit it.

“We have a good side here for this league. But it’s just the way luck is going for us at the moment. Let’s hope we can find a turning point by picking up these points and off-the-field let’s hope the fans, businesses and community can turn it around too. I believe we can all succeed.”

Jim Parmenter has not ruled out helping Dover Athletic but insists that the club needs to be run as a big business.

The former Whites director – who had a spell on the board at Margate – was the man who revealed exclusively to the Dover Mercury in 1999 that Dover Athletic was in serious financial trouble.

He resigned from the board after failing to secure control of the club when pumping thousands of pounds into the coffers – which made him a major shareholder. Since his resignation, he donated all his shares to the Supporters Trust.

But, despite no longer being a director at the club, he still keeps in contact with people at Dover.

And he admitted: “It’s sad to see Dover in this situation. Dover is the second biggest club in Kent. There is no doubt about that. Only Gillingham are bigger.

“Dover has the fanbase and should still be in the Conference. I think everyone in Kent knows that but mistakes have been made in the past which sees the club in its present situation.

“It is very difficult for fans to run a football club, which is what’s happening at Dover. They are a big part of the club and have done a tremendous job there. The Supporters Trust is a credit and they’ve raised a lot of money to help Dover Athletic survive.

“But Dover Athletic is a big business. It has to be treated that way and be run by someone who has experience of running a big business. I would never criticise those who are running the club now. Mick Kemp, John Farringdon and his wife Denise are hard-working people, who care about Dover. They have done a great job.

“But if someone was to come in and pump a load of money in, they need to gain control of all the Husks’ shares. They still own the majority of them. But also anyone taking over the club would have to work with the fans – it is their club ultimately and the Trust has much more power now.”

Parmenter admitted: “I’ve made mistakes myself in football, that I’d never repeat now. Sometimes, in football, you do things that you’d never dream of in business. That is a mistake. You have to treat running a club purely as a business, nothing else. That is the way forward.

“And that has to be the way forward for Dover Athletic – it certainly has great potential to anyone coming in, as long as those debts can be cleared.”

So will Parmenter consider returning to Dover?

“I’d never say never. I am watching the situation at Dover with interest but no-one has called me yet.”

Steve Browne held a meeting with his players on Saturday to discuss why they have not been picking up the points their performances have deserved.

The Whites boss – who is keeping the on-the-field battle against relegation going while the fans and community fight to save the club – insists that spirits are high despite a hard week.

First was the superb performance at Eastleigh which went unrewarded with a 1-0 defeat, then there was the injury-time equaliser by Harrow at the Hoverspeed Stadium on Tuesday night and finally the bombshell announcement on Thursday that the club needed £48,000 by New Year’s Eve or face closure.

That would be enough to send anyone heading for the drinks cabinet and perhaps Browne did have a tipple on Thursday night.

But the Dover manager said: “It’s been an extremely tough week for the club and I knew when I came here that things were difficult for Dover.

“Obviously, the VAT thing has come has an extra shock and the club have got to go out to find the money.

“Too be honest, I am just trusting the directors. They’ve stuck to their word on everything so far and I expect them to stick to their word on this one. They are going to try hard to reach the £48,000 target and from what I can see already they are doing just that.

“The players have been very understanding about the situation and we’re happy to help in every way we can. We’ve arranged to play supporters in a fundraiser, play a Dover old boys team – with people like Maurice Munden and Leroy Ambrose coming down – and there’s lots of other fundraisers that we’re getting involved in.

“What attracted the players to Dover was the set-up and potential. You can see that this club is geared to be in the Conference. That is where Dover should be. We want to get it there but of course there are lots of big battles to win first.

“This is a big battle off-the-field. Meanwhile, we’re fighting a big battle on-the-field. It’s going to be tough but you just all have to stick together to get through.”

The Blitz spirit has now spread throughout the club and tonight (Tuesday) Whites take on high-riding Leyton and Browne is expecting an extremely tough match but hopes his men can edge it.

He said: “Leyton are well-organised but they do concede goals. All we’ve got to do is stay tight and take our chances. Then, hopefully, we have a chance of winning. We do need to win because our performances merit it.

“We have a good side here for this league. But it’s just the way luck is going for us at the moment. Let’s hope we can find a turning point by picking up these points and off-the-field let’s hope the fans, businesses and community can turn it around too. I believe we can all succeed.”

Jim Parmenter has not ruled out helping Dover Athletic but insists that the club needs to be run as a big business.

The former Whites director – who had a spell on the board at Margate – was the man who revealed exclusively to the Dover Mercury in 1999 that Dover Athletic was in serious financial trouble.

He resigned from the board after failing to secure control of the club when pumping thousands of pounds into the coffers – which made him a major shareholder. Since his resignation, he donated all his shares to the Supporters Trust.

But, despite no longer being a director at the club, he still keeps in contact with people at Dover.

And he admitted: “It’s sad to see Dover in this situation. Dover is the second biggest club in Kent. There is no doubt about that. Only Gillingham are bigger.

“Dover has the fanbase and should still be in the Conference. I think everyone in Kent knows that but mistakes have been made in the past which sees the club in its present situation.

“It is very difficult for fans to run a football club, which is what’s happening at Dover. They are a big part of the club and have done a tremendous job there. The Supporters Trust is a credit and they’ve raised a lot of money to help Dover Athletic survive.

“But Dover Athletic is a big business. It has to be treated that way and be run by someone who has experience of running a big business. I would never criticise those who are running the club now. Mick Kemp, John Farringdon and his wife Denise are hard-working people, who care about Dover. They have done a great job.

“But if someone was to come in and pump a load of money in, they need to gain control of all the Husks’ shares. They still own the majority of them. But also anyone taking over the club would have to work with the fans – it is their club ultimately and the Trust has much more power now.”

Parmenter admitted: “I’ve made mistakes myself in football, that I’d never repeat now. Sometimes, in football, you do things that you’d never dream of in business. That is a mistake. You have to treat running a club purely as a business, nothing else. That is the way forward.

“And that has to be the way forward for Dover Athletic – it certainly has great potential to anyone coming in, as long as those debts can be cleared.”

So will Parmenter consider returning to Dover?

“I’d never say never. I am watching the situation at Dover with interest but no-one has called me yet.”

MICK KEMP has today pledged to work to the very last minute to save Dover Athletic from going out of business.

The club this morning broke the news in the Dover Express that £48,000 has to be found by December 31 – or it is almost certain that Whites will be closed down.

It has been known for some while that the club could be forced to cough up £23,000 towards the CVA after creditors decided that Dover Athletic should have paid a chunk of their profits from the 2002-03 FA Cup run to accelerate their debt repayments.

In fact, Whites made no profit from the run, with all cash eaten up by running costs of the club.

But the Inland Revenue and Customs and Excise view it differently and are the two major creditors who insist that £23,000 should be paid by December 31.

In addition to that, the VAT office has investigated the club’s accounts for the past three seasons.

Chairman Mick Kemp admitted: “The club have not been paying VAT on hot food sold at kiosks inside the ground. Dover Athletic were led to believe that this food is classed as takeaway food and, as such, we’d not need to pay VAT on what we sell.

“But the VAT office insists now that this food is not classed as takeaway food because it’s consumed on the club’s premises.”

This now means, with a shortfall in gates this season, the club must find a further £25,000 – making a total of £48,000 – by New Year’s Eve.

Kemp said: “We will almost definitely be closed down if we don’t reach the £48,000 target – only £23k of that goes to the CVA. The rest to the VAT office and obviously to make up for losses made on low attendances.

“I am going to go out there myself and will spend every last minute trying to collect money. We hope that the business community of Dover responds because we are now in the last-chance saloon.

“We are setting up a fighting fund, where people can pay into it. No money will be touched by the club. So if someone decided to give us £2,000, and we don’t reach the target and get closed down, the money will be refunded.

“Local businesses hold the key. If they can all rally around us now, along with the fans, we have a chance of getting to the target.

“We’d like to think that more than 1,000 fans can get through the turnstiles. If this was to happen, it will send out a clear message to the business community and football in general that Dover Athletic is a club worth saving.

“It’s come as a terrible shock to us all. We only got confirmation of this news on Wednesday. The Dover Express carried the story on the front page today. We are sorry for the bombshell nature of the way this news was released but it is a reflection of how serious the situation is.

“We think it’s a grey area, the VAT issue, and simply continued what had happened before on selling food on a takeaway basis.

“If we had a burger van outside the turnstiles, the food would be classed as takeaway. But, the VAT office insist, that by selling a burger inside the ground, it’s not takeaway food, unless it’s being taken outside the turnstiles to be eaten.”

Kemp insisted the club would make an appeal but said: “I doubt we will be successful. I don’t think we have any solid ground to make a good case unfortunately.”

Dover Athletic’s attendance figures have been the highest in the Ryman League Premier Division this season despite struggling at the foot of the table. It is clear that the club still has a loyal and passionate fanbase but the debts from previous regimes have now become too big a burden.

The Whites chairman added: “This club has had a real positive vibe in recent weeks, thanks to the arrival of Steve Browne. We feel we now have a realistic chance of fighting away from the bottom of the table to rebuild for the future.

“But we need a cash injection from somewhere. If the whole town can get behind the club, we can get out of this mess and at last get Dover Athletic heading in the right direction.

“It doesn’t matter what you can afford. If it’s only a pound, we welcome every pound that can be donated. If it’s £1000 then that’s great too. Rich or poor, we need all the support from everyone.

“Let’s show everyone that Dover can get behind its football club and dig it out of trouble once and for all.”

Supporters Trust chairman Simon Harris added: “As far as I’m concerned, our response must be that the Trust is here to support football in Dover.

“We’ve spent two and a half years struggling to keep the club afloat and we now look to the wider community to stand up and be counted.

“A town the size of Dover should have a football club, and it is up to the people of Dover to ensure that the football club survives what is its darkest hour.”

WHILE we are all very concerned about the job that we now face over the coming weeks, I sincerely believe that the future of the club depends on ALL of us working together to try to find solutions.

I do believe that the Trust should in no way give the slightest consideration to not backing the club in its efforts to achieve our mutual aim of survival, and believe it is up to Trust Board members to stress the importance of all of us working together.

To clarify things, the VAT assessment has arisen because food sold from our outlets are deemed not to be take-away, on the basis that it is eaten ‘on the premises’, which, in our case applies to the whole ground.

As such it is liable for VAT. We have consistently followed the basis that was previously utilised, as we had absolutely no reason to believe that was incorrect.

Many will recall from the last Trust meeting that Mick Kemp told us that a VAT inspection had been carried out and that the club were awaiting the result of this. We cannot now complain that we were not kept informed. The assessment arrived only last Tuesday, and since then Mick, Steve and John have been rushing to try and organise the details of the ‘rescue’ plan that has been announced today.