Pic: Carshalton Athletic FC/Ian Gerrard
FOLKESTONE INVICTA midfielder Michael Everitt has decided to go out on a high by retiring at the end of the season following a long association with the club.
Everitt, known as Mev, will be making his 631st and final appearance in a Folkestone shirt on Saturday as they host Tooting & Mitcham in the final game of a memorable season.
The 33-year-old former Invicta skipper will be bowing out after the club romped to the Ryman South title after finishing runners up for the past two years.
He made his Invicta debut as a 16-year-old back in 1999 against Bashley in the Dr Martens East Division, scoring in a 4-0 victory.
Since then, his only spells away from the Fullicks Stadium came via a brief loan at Sittingbourne and one season as coach at Whitstable under former Gillingham and Bolton man Nicky Southall.
He returned to the club in the autumn of 2013 following knee surgery and helped the club become one of the Ryman South's top clubs.
This season they have gone a step further and guaranteed a place in the Ryman Premier next term although Everitt won't be joining them at Step 3.
“Following a great deal of thought, I have made the very difficult decision to make Saturday's game my last in a Folkestone shirt,” he said.
“Cugs (boss Neil Cugley) rang me last week asking if I'd stay and play in the Ryman Premier next season. That is, of course, an exciting opportunity, but having had time to ponder over it, I have had to decline.
“The extra commitment required to play in the Ryman Premier – particularly the travelling – would make things very difficult with my work commitments.
“Most people know that I left the club at the end of last season to concentrate on my work, but I always knew then, at the back of my mind, that I would be back at some stage – and that obviously proved right when I started playing again last autumn.
“But I know that the time is right to leave now. I don't think there could be a better time – there can't be too many players who can say they left their home town club after winning the league championship so convincingly!”
Cugley added: “Mev has been a tremendous servant to this football club for so many years and we really missed him that season he wasn't here.
“I feel he's still got one more good season in him and could do a job for us in the Premier Division, but I have to respect his decision. This has been a fantastic season for this football club and it wouldn't have seemed right if Mev had not been a part of it.”
