The Conference AGM has confirmed the Fleet’s relegation…

What many already knew and suspected would be the outcome was confirmed at the Conference AGM in Southport on Saturday as Ebbsfleet United’s relegation was formally rubber-stamped.

With Salisbury City’s demotion saving Forest Green Rovers, talk was of other clubs’ financial wobbles potentially giving the Fleet a lifeline but the longer time went on without concrete evidence of this, the more likely it became that Blue Square Bet South would be the club’s ultimate destination for 2010-11.

The decision finally ended Fleet’s eight-season run in the top division of non-league football. In that time, the Fleet has become Kent’s second longest-serving club and second most successful at that level, but still trailing behind Welling United (Welling have played 586 Conference games, the Fleet 468). The two clubs’ records are as below:

WELLING Pl: 586 W: 180 D: 156 L: 250 Goals: 757-889 Pts: 696
FLEET Pl: 468 W: 160 D: 117 L: 191 Goals: 702-687 Pts: 597 (when converting seasons 1979-82 to three points for a win)

In other news, chairman Duncan Holt confirmed that talks had been held with Liam Daish to reduce the management budget to levels more suitable going forward while still keeping all of the club’s backroom staff in place. MyFC members will over the next few days be asked to consider a choice between full-time and part-time status, to extend Liam Daish’s contract into 2011 and to agree the season budget.