Dartford’s Jason Brown was this week appointed goalkeeping coach for the Arsenal ladies team.

The 32-year-old former Gillingham and Blackburn keeper wants to manage in the Football League one day and joining the Arsenal staff is a big step forward on his coaching journey.

Brown said: "It’s a fantastic club with great tradition and it’s great to be part of their coaching family. I just can’t wait to start there and do a good job for them.

"There were some deals on the table (for me) last season and for whatever reason, they seemed to break down at the last second. That was a bit of realisation that maybe this (coaching) is the way I’m going to start going.

"By the time I’m 33, I’ll be A Licence qualified and by the time I reach 37, I want to have my Pro Licence. I still love playing but I’m excited about the next chapter with regard to coaching because I do feel that with the experience I’ve gained, good and bad, I’m ready for it.

"It’s all part of getting to where I want to be and reaching that goal, in the coming years, of either being a manager or a first-team goalkeeping coach in the men’s game."

Read the full interview in the Dartford Messenger.