Late on Tuesday, the club received the following from the Ryman League

"As a result of the ongoing issues being raised by Grays Athletic Football Club, the publication of the League Fixtures for Season 2010/11, originally planned for tomorrow (Wednesday 14th July), will now be delayed until after a meeting called by The Football Association with the Club and the League, and other involved parties, on Thursday, 15th July."

So it would now seem that we’ll have to wait that little bit longer for the League fixtures that the club didn’t really want!  Hopefully we’ll have the 2010/2011 Ryman league Division One North fixtures by the weekend – here’s hoping anyway!!! 

Chats boss Paul Foley has been giving his thoughts on the clubs respective Cup draws in the FA Cup sponsored by E.On and the FA Carlsberg Trophy

"The draws could have been kinder by giving us home ties rather than away days but there you go," the Chats boss conceded.  "The prize money on offer for the winners would probably exceed any gate revenue anyway so we will just have to make sure we win our away day trips won’t we?! If our away form last year at VCD is anything to go by we should be tough opposition for the sides we have to play."

"We actually had a better away record than at home even though the pitch at Oakwood was perfect for football so read into that one what you will! We have developed from our time in the Kent Premier league the way we play on our travels to suit the conditions and Redbridge, who we play in the Trophy in October, is an example of a place where you need to adapt to the pitch and opposition. We had a successful journey there last year on a Thursday night of all nights due to a severe backlog and we played exactly as we had to on what was a lively and tricky surface. Redbridge finished the season quite strongly with changes to the side that started the season so that will be a tough game, without doubt. The game that awaits the winners, away to Horsham is a tough one too but let’s see how we do in East London first!"

Turning to the FA Cup, Paul said, “Our opponents in the Cup (Mole Valley or Chertsey) are not as well known to me to be honest but they will be by the time we play on 28^th August as we will have them both watched at their game on 14^th August. Mole Valley won the Combined Counties Div 1 last year so they are obviously a decent outfit and not to be underestimated regardless of the level they have been playing at. Chertsey have some history and were an Isthmian Premier side not that long ago before dropping into the Combined Counties. They finished second last year in the CC Premier so they will be the favourites to win the tie against their newly promoted fellow Premier opponents I would imagine. I would say that Chertsey will be on a par with a Ryman North or South side I’m sure.

Then of course comes the possibility of an intriguing trip to Bourne Park, as Paul agreed.  “If we are successful in that Preliminary Round tie then we have the prospect of a Kent Derby against Sittingbourne in the offing assuming they get past Andover,” he said.  “With the recent switch to the North section of the Ryman this would be a welcome game to have given the proximity between the two clubs and it would be interesting to see how we fare against a side who did very well in the South last year. My brother’s old team mate from Welling, Gary Abbott, has done a very good job there but we will need to get a good away win first so let’s not get carried away just yet!”

The draws for this season's FA Cup sponsored by E.On and the FA Carlsberg Trophy have been announced this lunchtime, and there's not a home draw in sight for Paul Foley's Chats.

In the FA Cup sponsored by E.On, after receiving the expected bye in the Extra Preliminary Round, Paul must take the side in the Preliminary Round to either MOLE VALLEY SCR or CHERTSEY TOWN on Saturday 28th August, with the winners of that tie travelling again in the First Qualifying round (on Saturday 11th September) to either our old friends from Borune Park SITTINGBOURNE or ANDOVER.

The news from the draw of the FA Carlsberg Trophy isn’t much better as in the Preliminary Round, we've been drawn away to REDBRIDGE on Saturday 2nd October, with the winners facing a trip to HORSHAM in the First Qualifying Round on Saturday 16th October.

Even in the FA Youth Cup its an away draw in the Premlinary Round, with a trip to BROMLEY in the week commencing Monday 6th September, with the winner of that tie hosting either DOVER ATHLETIC or FOLKESTONE INVICTA in the next round week commencing Monday 20th September.

One home draw out of six then!!!  Lets say the draws could have been better!

"Notice is hereby given that the Chatham Town Football Club Annual General Meeting for season 2009/2010 will be held in the Club Bar, Maidstone Road Sports Ground, Bourneville Avenue, Chatham, Kent.

The meeting will be held on WEDNESDAY 28TH JULY 2010 with a start time of 7:30pm.

Should anyone have any business that they wish to raise at said meeting, you must contact the Club Secretary as soon as possible, and no later than Wednesday 21st July."

All Chats fans are reminded that the day before Tuesday 27th July is now the clubs first home friendly, against Essex Senior League Champions Stansted.

It's been confirmed that the friendly with Ebbsfleet United due to be the Chats first friendly of pre season has been put back three weeks.

The new date for the game is now Tuesday 10th August, with a 7:45pm kick off at Maidstone Road.

This now means that the trip to Winches Field to play Herne Bay on Saturday 24th July becomes the Chats first friendly in the run up to the Ryman League Division One North season that begins on Saturday 21st August, with Stansted being the first visitors to Maidstone Road - the Essex Senior League Champions make the trip on Tuesday 27th July for a 7:45pm kick off.

The remaining pre season games are confirmed as

July 31st - away to Hythe Town (3:00pm kick off)
August 3rd - home to Tonbridge Angels (7:45pm kick off)
Augsut 7th - home to Welling United (3:00pm kick off)
August 10th - home to Ebbsfleet United (7:45pm kick off)
August 14th - home to Maidstone United (3:00pm kick off)
August 16th - home to Folkestone Invicta (7:45pm kick off)

Just to remind you that the new seasons league fixtures are due to be announced next Wednesday (July 14th) and the draws for the early stages of this season's FA Cup sponsorred by E.On and the FA Carlsberg Trophy are due to be published at some point this week.