Folkestone boss Neil Cugley confirmed that player coach Scott Lindsey has informed the Club he has accepted a youth coaching role at League Two side Gillingham, close footballing friends of the Seasiders.

Cugs commented, “He told us last night at training where it was the last session he’ll take. It’s a position in their (Gillingham’s) youth development section and it’s a great opportunity for him and one he couldn’t turn down. He has been fantastic for us, an excellent coach and he thoroughly deserves his chance to kick that on.

“He played a key part in us reaching second in the League earlier in the season. He will be missed in more ways than one as he also sat on the bench giving us an extra number there.

“I don’t think we’ll be replacing him in the near future and instead we’ll all take on a bit more each. Also, we’ve got lads like Smithy and Jacko who are very knowledgeable and who will be able to help out so until the position of the Club is sorted, we’ll keep it within the Club.

“Scott is in a lovely situation where he can still do a bit of his contract work as a taxi driver and go out at night and do the football side for Gillingham and I hope it all works out well for him. I’m sure everyone at the Club will join with me in wishing him the best of luck for the future.”

Lindso will be taking a similar path to Priestfield to Mark Patterson, former Gillingham player himself and assistant manager at the Buzzlines Stadium. Cugs and Patto retain close connections.

“You’ve also got Mark Saunders who is coaching now down at Tiverton and I like to think I gave them all a fair amount of responsibility and sometimes people don’t realise how much of a say they have, and it’s pleasing to see them move on and progress.”

In another hectic week at Cheriton Road, Cugs has signed goalkeeper Jack Delo from Ryman Premier outfit and Kent rivals Ramsgate on non contract terms. Regular keeper Charlie Mitten who has been an impressive ever present in the side this season up until the Kent derby last weekend, continues to recover from a bruised foot.

“I thought he (Delo) did very well on Saturday at Ashford and he trained with us last night and is a keen lad. With Charlie’s injury he will play Saturday.”

Against Ashford, Invicta left The Homelands defeated by a second half header from Danny Lye although there was little between the sides over the ninety minutes. In the first half, Folkestone looked the better side showing the most willingness to get the ball down and play football on a difficult surface.

“It was a disappointing one to concede as we had people allocated to pick up different players from set pieces and Jimmy D has let his man go and it cost us.”

With Folkestone’s 'goals for' column a concern for the manager, he has put in two seven day approaches for strikers.

One approach has been made for Damian Abel who is currently impressively plying his trade at Kent League side Faversham Town and the second relates to 20 year old Rob Denness at Chatham Town. Whilst Invicta fans will be well aware of Abel’s talents, the historically prolific Denness has returned to Chatham after a brief spell at Ashford under Clive Walker.

“Damo is obviously very local, lives just around the corner and is one of the top scorers in the Kent League and is someone who would give us a different option. Rob is highly rated and is somebody who I think would be certainly worth a look at but at the end of the day the way the seven day approach works is it gives the other club seven days to try and persuade the player in question to stay, so we have to see what happens.”

Dependent on the outcomes of the approaches, Cugs revealed it could mean one of the present squad making way with the “ideal” situation being a “one out two in” scenario.

Sittingbourne are this weekend’s visitors to the Buzzlines; a side who have crept up the League under the watchful eye of Gary Abbott to the final play off berth. Invicta fans will also be aware that former central defender Matt Bourne opted to move to Bourne Park after well documented financial constraints at Cheriton Road.

“I’ve been speaking to a few people about them and they are really playing very well and are looking a confident side. The lad up front Tom Bradbrook has been getting more than his fair share of goals in recent weeks.

“I think we’ve been unlucky having the two games against Whyteleafe and Chipstead called off as I thought they were winnable and suddenly we meet sides such as Worthing and Ashford – both on good runs – and now Sittingbourne.

“Again on Saturday though against Ashford, I thought it showed we’re not far off and for all the experience and financial clout they’ve got we faired well. We just need to get the young lads believing in themselves and their ability that bit more and we’ll be alright – their contribution to the cause has been superb.

“Our biggest ‘problem’ is that we don’t like losing football matches and obviously that gets you down but we have to keep plugging away. We haven’t been rolled over since players have left and the players are starting to respond. On Saturday against Ashford, I think Kieron Byrne in particular did quite well.

“I keep saying it but we’ve got a good bunch here and we spoke to the players last night and although they’ll be out tonight they’re going to come in tomorrow morning to train and off we go again. It shows they care and want to do well and a win will lift spirits and we’ve said to them they’re doing the right things; working hard, training hard and playing alright and so we just want the end result.”

Aside from Charlie Mitten, Folkestone will hand late fitness tests to Josh Vincent (ankle) and Joe Neilson (rib) and Cugley could name an unchanged starting line up.

Off the field, Supporters Club Chairman Clive Arnold has this week announced the latest fundraising initiative to be launched, involving the manager himself in a sponsored weight loss programme.

“The Football Club need the pounds and I don’t! I want to lose weight and I’m determined to raise the Club £1,000 in sponsorship which is my minimum target and hopefully it will help towards keeping us afloat until the end of the season. There was one good diet where someone said it was just alcohol and I thought that’d suit me but I’m not sure how healthy that would be!

“It’s something I’ve been thinking about for a while and Lindso will weigh me in on Saturday and start it all off. It’s something a bit different and people at the Club have been brilliant doing so many different things to raise money and I want to try and help as well as it’s so important the Club survives and gets going again.”