It is with great sadness that we have to report that club legend, Barry Marchant passed away on Friday after a short but courageous battle with cancer at the age of 72.

Before Barry joined the club in the early 1980's, he had enjoyed a brilliant non-league career with Tonbridge and Dover.

Barry’s transfer from Tonbridge to Dover enabled him to buy his first house. When he joined us he was in his mid 30's but was still an amazing striker, when we joined the Kent Amateur League he had scored over 50 goals in the 2 seasons that saw us win Division 1 & 2 in consecutive seasons.

Not only a great footballer Barry was a really nice bloke and up until moving to Beckenham a couple of years ago he was still a regular visitor to The Jockey Farm Stadium.

He played for the Reserves well into his 40's and when given stick by opponents telling him he was a has been he would always come back with "It's better to be a has been than a NEVER been"

Club President, Richard Smith was first to pay tribute to Barry; “RIP my friend, the club have lost a legend who will live long in the memory of the many people that were fortunate to call him a friend.”

Our thoughts are with Barry’s family and close friends at this difficult time.