Dover Athletic have become the third Kent club in the space of just a few days to furlough their management, staff and players.

Following Jim Parmenter’s claims that Dover Athletic had all but run out of money earlier in the week, the Chairman has made the decision to follow both Maidstone United and Tonbridge Angels in protecting the future of the club.

The decision to furlough the majority of those on the payroll at Dover will come as no surprise to many after their fellow National League sides took the option after it transpired what originally seemed to be grants earlier in the season, ended up being loans that could have put the long term existance of the clubs at risk.

A statement from Dover Athletic released on Saturday evening, not long after their game at FC Halifax Town had been postponed due to a frozen pitch reads:

“Dover Athletic can confirm that all management, players, and staff have now been furloughed to safeguard the club’s long-term future.”

“Chairman Jim Parmenter, who has funded the club for the past seven weeks after the initial government grant funding ended in December, said he had been left with no option but to make the decision to prevent the club from becoming insolvent.”

“We are operating in unprecedented times. We have to make difficult decisions.”

“We wanted to leave the decision that has been made as long as possible before making this final announcement in the hope a support package may appear.”

“Unfortunately no support has been forthcoming, so it is with the deepest regret that the club must now furlough all staff and players and reduce operations to a bare minimum.”

“All financial reserves have now been completely exhausted.”

“For 15 years, I have run the club without debt and I do not intend to change that now.”

“The club will be unable to fulfill further National League fixtures until appropriate funding is made available.”

“As a result of this decision, our three loan players, Harry Ransom (Millwall), Ryan Hanson (Hull City), and Oliver Webber (Crystal Palace) have all returned to their parent clubs.”

Dover Athletic’s next scheduled National League fixture had been set to be away to Sutton United on Tuesday night, but with that now postponed, who knows when the Kent club will play again, if at all this season with the league seemingly being forced to an abrupt end.