Dover Athletic: National League club has 'run out of money' and may stop playing games

Jim Parmenter's team have not played in front of fans since March last year

Dover Athletic have "run out of money" and could stop playing matches unless they receive fresh grant funding, says owner Jim Parmenter.

Parmenter is prepared to cease football operations until Covid-19 restrictions are eased to secure the club's future.

Sides in the National League began playing in October thanks to government grants, but were told they would have to borrow further money from January.

"Small clubs like Dover just can't afford to take large loans," he said.

"We're talking several hundred thousand pounds to get through the season and that just isn't possible for us and it's been going on now since January with still no money forthcoming.

"I've financed the club for six weeks personally and that's got to stop and, in a nutshell, we've run out of money," Parmenter told BBC Radio Kent.

Dover have applied to Sport England for a grant, but are unsure if or when the money might be made available.

The club are currently second-from-bottom of the National League, but have played up to seven fewer games than some of their rivals after a series of postponements.

Last August, Dover's 14 contracted players were made available on free transfers as the Kent club tried to cut costs in the wake of financial pressures caused by the pandemic.

National League clubs have been voting on whether to carry on the season following the decision to replace grant funding with loans.

It is thought a majority want to continue, but the position is less certain in the North and South Divisions.

However, it has become apparent that even if the National League keeps going, a substantial minority feel they lack the financial resource to play matches behind closed doors.

"The most important thing for me after 15 years keeping the club out of debt and running is for it to survive for the future," Parmenter added.

"Therefore if I furlough all the staff and cut down all the costs and I just put it under a blanket for a few months until hopefully we get back to normal, then the club will survive to play football, but that's the only option I've got really."