Promotion has got to be the aim next season, says new Kettering Town chairman

NEW Kettering Town chairman David Mahoney says promotion will still be the aim next season despite Ritchie Jeune’s decision to step down.

Jeune announced on Friday that he would be relinquishing the role of chairman at the end of the current season but will remain as the club’s owner.

Director Mahoney has agreed to step up to lead the Poppies as they look to climb out of the Evo-Stik League Southern Premier.

Despite having promotion aspirations at the start of the current campaign, Kettering have struggled for consistency and currently lie 14 points adrift of the play-offs.

Jeune confirmed that boss Marcus Law will remain at Latimer Park next season and Mahoney says that returning to Step 2 has to be the target for the Northamptonshire club.

“Ritchie assured me that it was his focus to grow Kettering Town FC, investigate new ground opportunities and put the club on a solid footing that was driving him,” Mahoney said in a statement.

“To do this he needed to find more time and that meant stepping down as chairman but he made it very clear he’d be staying put as owner.

“I want people to see the positives that are present and those that we’re striving to achieve. Latimer Park may not be everyone’s ideal home and it certainly presents some challenges but it is our home and we need to be proud of it.

“I can’t promise that I am going to get everything right or please everyone all the time but I can promise you that it won’t be through lack of trying.

“What I can promise you though is that the board, the management team and the players are already looking to next season with the aim of achieving both promotion and a decent run in the cup competitions.

“We will be taking steps from now until the end of the season to make sure that we’re in great shape to achieve these goals.”