3rd October 2007. 8.15pm

Stones chairman Paul Bowden-Brown has issued a strong response following Saturday's FA Cup exit. Speaking in the Stones matchday magazine he said:

"As chairman, I have a responsibility to those around me to ensure that the club operates in a professional way.

"I have employed and fully supported a very professional management team, I agreed a budget for them to bring in replacement players to ensure that we could compete every week at this level, but for some reason some of those replacements have come and gone and some of the existing players are not making the grade, which leaves the club in a very vulnerable position.

"We are now in the position that the management are not getting the best out of the existing squad for whatever reason.

"One game we compete against the opposition, the next we give an inept display, something that is very frustrating and totally unacceptable for the management of this club and myself.

"But the 3 million dollar question is how long do we give these players to get it right as I have always been advised by my mentors in the game that neither managers or players become bad overnight.

"But for the security of this club, certain harsh and genuine decisions will have to be made by my current management team to rectify the situation to my total satisfaction.

"But if not, be assured I will do anything and take whatever actions are required to ensure that all the hard work and commitment that has been accomplished over the last 16 years by many at this club will not be in vain, and we continue to compete at this new level and then climb the pyramid."