New Faversham Town boss Steve Watt has been talking to KSN about his appointment to the Lilywhites hot-seat and the task that awaits him and his assistant Frannie Collin as Town look to push on from a successful first season back in the Isthmian League. 

Watt and Collin swap places after their arrival at the Aquatherm following Tommy Warrilow’s Easter departure, with the former Hythe Town boss becoming manager for the new season. 

“Really looking forward to it,” he told us. “Obviously very grateful for the opportunity that Faversham have given me as we all try to achieve great things for the Club. They are an ambitious Club,” he went on, “I have turned down other offers since I left Hythe as I didn’t feel like it was the right thing for me.”

“But this offer certainly ticks all the right boxes for me in terms of what I want to try an achieve at this football Club, so it’s all systems go!” 

“When Fran made the call to me to come and help when Tommy went, it was a little bit of a surprise I have to admit. I am really good friends with Tommy and OB as well (Warrilow and his number two Alex O’Brien) and I had been to watch Faversham a few times during the season…”

“Thought they absolutely flew through the first part of the season before for whatever reason they started to tail off towards the back end. They decided to make a change and Fran picked up the phone and asked if I could give him a hand. It was one of them as whenever I’ve needed Frannie, he’s answered the call so, I wasn’t going to leave him in the lurch for those last few games.”

“So, I went in to help out and no promises were made. We were as surprised as anyone.” 

For the new season, Watt is now the man in charge and Collin his number two, but that doesn’t matter to either.

“Frannie has been part of things at most of the Clubs I have been, so for me to have him there is very important. I have always said that he has been my assistant manager, without being my assistant manager in name!”

“He is a voice that I have always listened to before making some decisions. I am grateful to him for picking the phone up and asking me to come in and giving me the support that has led to this, and I am looking forward to working with him!”

“That said, we will miss having him on the pitch, don’t get that wrong, but I am really looking forward to having him on the sideline with me as we go through this journey together as we try to get this Club promoted!” 

The Faversham retained list was published this week with regulars from last season Ben Gorham, Harrison Pont and Jacob Russell all leaving the Club and the new boss confirmed that he had had input into the list.

“It was all our decision as we felt like we needed to make some changes – not big changes like you saw, but we just thought that we needed to strengthen certain areas of the pitch which we have done and are currently doing – that’s our job now until the season starts, to get it right, bring in the right characters to help push this Club to the next level and that’s the bottom line as we will be judged on that by the end of the season.”