CHAIRMAN Jim Parmenter has warned Dover fans that the battle to pay off the club’s debts is far from over.

The Supporters Trust is paying the club’s £3k monthly CVA payment for September to ease the club’s cashflow – which has been hit recently by a £9k tax bill for unpaid PAYE from the previous regime.

Whites – who have benefited from £50k in cash-injections from the Trust during the last two years – will need further help this season.

But Trust chairman Paul Harrison is concerned that there has been a recent drop-off in supporters making monthly donations to the Trust via standing order – and insists it is vital that fans continue to rally until the club’s debts are cleared once and for all.

Jim said: “When we came to the helm it was under the condition that the board works together with the supporters to clear these debts.

“It is vital that the Trust and all supporters get ready for one big push to get these debts cleared once and for all. Without that, we’ll end up getting ourselves into another situation where money will be needed in a short space of time to avoid the club folding – and we have to be careful not to end up in that kind of scenario.

“Dover fans have done a superb job in keeping this club going and I’m delighted with our relationship with the supporters, which is very strong.

“Things are going well on-the-pitch now and we’re slowly but surely clearing out the mess that we inherited.

“Yet it is absolutely vital that supporters don’t think that everything is fine on the financial front. The situation is far from fine and we need one big push to get ourselves back on a level playing field.”

Since Jim and the new board took control of Whites in January, the club has seen £180,000 of its debts cleared.

Dover Athletic still owes £44k on its CVA obligations and a further £47k to settle a long-standing bank overdraft.

Jim said: “The Trust has pledged a minimum of £12k this season – and that has been worked into our cash projections for the season. We asked if they could pay September’s CVA to ease our cashflow shortage due to immediate debts that had to be paid recently.

“If the Trust were able to match the £25k they have donated each season for the last two years during the course of this campaign, we’ll be near to clearing the CVA.

“So many people helped to save the club in January but the wolves are not away from the door yet – and we need a collective effort from the board down to the fans to raise funds so we can start each month without having to pay off debts all the time.”

Trust chairman Paul said: “We invested another £3k in exchange for shares after a request from the club to pay September’s CVA.

“It’s important that supporters remember that although the club has been made financially stable by the new board, we still have the CVA hanging over us. It has been good to see the healthy attendances at the first couple of league games with 772 at the Ashford match and several supporters joining the Trust at these games.

“The club board and the Trust are aiming to work together with the aim of getting the CVA paid up, but to do this we need the continued backing of the Trust members.”