Kent FA Chairman, Barry Bright, has been speaking for the first time about the sad passing of the Southern Counties East League president Roy Vinter.

Speaking at the counties Cobdown headquarters, Mr Bright who was clearly still upset at the news, told KSN that Mr Vinter’s shoes will be very difficult to fill…

“It was extremely sad news and probably the end of an era really with the Kent League changing its name to the Southern Counties East of which Roy became president.”

“Probably sees a line drawn under the Kent League in a very sad way for many followers of Kent football. Roy was a very popular man served that League as Secretary for 20 years – was a referee before it.”

“A good man who epitomised everything that was right about the game – he worked hard for the game. He had standards that he expected to be met but he had time for people, and many people within the clubs and those associated with the Kent League have a lot to thank him for and will be sorely missed. He was a good man!”

“Sadly we do lose people who serve the game so well. I suppose now that I was pleased on behalf of the Football Assocation in October his so well richly deserved long meritorious long service award – an award that is only given to those who have given over 50 years service to the game and Roy had given service elsewhere in this country before coming to Kent through work, and I’m now “pleased” that I was able to undertake that honour the last time I saw him.”

“Most people know that he hadn’t been terribly well for a little while and he will be sorely missed and the sympathies of Kent football go to his wife and family at this tragic time!”

“Roy was somewhat unique – he had time and he listened; an essential part of life these days; he listened to those who needed help and they appreciated that.”

“They appreciated the fact that he expected respect but also gave respect and sometimes that word is used very loosely in this day and age. But in a league like the Kent League, senior clubs still need from time to time the advice of those who are involved in the running of the competition and Roy was always there for them.”

“They liked him; they admired him and they respected him. And that I hope really epitomised his life the way he was and the Kent League have an awful lot to thank him for.”

“Its a very important time for the League. The last two or three years as the Kent League and then as the Southern Counties East have been important. The situation with regards to the number of clubs in the competition; the situation of those who wish to progress to the Ryman League; the situation of those who need to create facilities at the Invicta League underneath them to come forward to be able to be competitive and play at a reasonably high level of Kent League football.”

“Some people like myself who are a bit longer in the tooth still remember the days when the Kent League was in a really strong era when people went across the county to see many clubs who are no longer sadly with us.”

“And one hopes that we might get back close to that again – in the days when the Southern League was an extremely strong competition and we had sizeable number of people turning out at those sorts of levels week in week out – the competition when a Kent League club played a Southern League club in a Cup competition was quite fierce with the number of people of used to turn out to watch those games.”

“Society has changed a little bit – yes there are some good people in the Kent League in its management committee trying hard working tirelessly to try and create the future, and it’s not easy – not just in Kent, but in Step Five right across this country it’s not’s easy – it is not an easy level, but I’m confident that they can create a better tomorrow again for the Kent League, and I think the right people will be there to do it.”

“And I think that dear Roy will look down on their efforts and thoroughly approve…”

“Roy will I’m sure hope that the strength of football at that level within Kent will continue to prosper; he will hope that the Southern Counties East League gets itself up to a level of clubs with facilities able to compete at that level; able to bring back such momentous days as we had with Deal Town when they won the FA Vase; clubs that are able to get to that standard as Tunbridge Wells did so gloriously last year.”

“I think that that’s what he will be hoping that all that work he put in; hours and hours and hours of work that he put in that it will have enriched the situation for Kent football in years to come with a new title we will see a leading number of Kent clubs at the fore in this country and I think if that happens and proving they enjoy, have a little bit of fun, people turn out to watch them, I think he will look down quite satisfied!”