Justin Luchford has been unveiled as the new manager of Whitstable Town Football Club.

Luchford, the former Faversham boss, takes on the role less than a fortnight after leaving Ryman League Premier Division side Horsham.

The 34-year-old (pictured) will not take charge of the team until after the weekend, but will be at Saturday's home Ryman League Division 1 South game against Croydon Athletic.

Town chairman Joe Brownett said he was "delighted" with the appointment of Luchford. He added: "We had some really good applications but decided we needed a manager with Ryman League experience and Justin fits the bill.

“He is the right person to move the club forward. Justin has some great ideas and we are all looking forward to welcoming him to the club.”

Luchford said he hoped to bring stability to the club, which has been without a permanent manager since Peter Nott's resignation last month.

He explained: "It was the right time for me to join Whitstable Town. Everyone knows that there have been too many managers at Whitstable over a short period of time and I see my job as being in the long term. I want to plan for the future, not just to the end of this season."

Luchford had three-and-a-half seasons at Faversham, guiding them to the Kent League title and Kent Senior Trophy in 2009/10 before helping them consolidate in the Ryman League.

He quit Salters Lane in March this year and three months later succeeded the long-serving John Maggs at Horsham, but left by mutual consent after successive 5-0 defeats which saw the club crash out of the League Cup and the FA Trophy. Under him the Sussex club had picked up just one point in eight league games.