AN historic agreement has been reached which, it is hoped, will put Tunbridge Wells on the map as a footballing town.

Three of the town's leading clubs – Tunbridge Wells, Hawkenbury and Ridgewaye – have joined forces in an effort to improve and increase awareness of football in the area.

While each club will keep their own identity, the co-operative link-up means there will be a pathway through from junior to senior football. The arrangement will ensure that everyone who wishes to play football in the area will find a slot in one of the clubs at the appropriate level, age group, gender and ability.

"We want to expand football in Tunbridge Wells," Wells chairman Joe Croker said. "I am fed up with hearing that this is a rugby town.

"There are more football than rugby fans. I'm not knocking rugby. We all like and watch it. But we believe we can make this town stronger in football and expand it by taking more players in. We will be giving everyone an opportunity to play, while improving quality.

"Luckily, we have three like-minded clubs who feel that this is the way forward. We will be keeping our own identity. We are all capable of carrying on, on our own. But we believe we will be stronger together.

"As Tunbridge Wells chairman I believe, in a few years' time, that this will make Tunbridge Wells football stronger. More people will know about us and there are more potential players."

Ridgewaye currently has some 350 junior members, boy and girl, but once they reach 18, they have no direct route into senior football. This agreement will allow players the opportunity to move straight into county league football or local league football with Hawkenbury, or a senior Ridgewaye team.

Ridgewaye will be entering teams in higher standard football from next season with the current Girls U18s moving to the Southern Counties Ladies' League and the Ridgewaye U12 boys team will be playing in the U13 Kent Youth League.

If players are good enough, there is the opportunity for them to move up from Ridgewaye U18s or Hawkenbury to Tunbridge Wells – who currently only have a first team and an under 18 side.

Not only that, the Culverden Stadium will host Hawkenbury FC and Ridgewaye boys and girls teams will play some games there.

"Hawkenbury can now tap into Ridgewaye's young players who can play at a level commensurate to their ability or wishes," Hawks committee member Scott Bartlett said.

"The first team will also be playing in a stadium every other week – that can only be good for us."

Ridgewaye chairman Ian Drury said: "We had a situation where our 17 and 18-year-olds were not being picked up by local teams. They all wanted to stay together, so Hawkenbury offered them a route into senior football by forming a team for them."

He added: "We want to put football in Tunbridge Wells on the map.

"We want to raise the profile and awareness of the game and the facilities here (at the Culverden) can help everybody."

Croker also moved to down-play fears that the infamous Culverden pitch won't be able to cope with the strains of more competitive football on it and adding that the club has plans to improve the playing surface in the near future.

"The reputation is worse than it actually is," Croker said. "Last season we didn't have to call any game off, other than when it snowed and until this weekend have not called any games off this season.

"Yes, the pitch does get heavy for a couple of months, in January and February, but we have the opportunity to use the pitch more, early in the season."