Goalkeeper Luke Watkins will still be involved at Faversham despite being ruled out for the season, joint-manager John Embery insists.

Watkins has not featured since a serious knee injury in November following a 1-0 victory at Corinthian.

With Watkins now expected to miss at least most - if not all - of the 2022/23 campaign, Town’s new bosses have re-signed keeper Simon Overland.

But Embery says Watkins will still have a part to play for the Isthmian South East club.

He said: “He’s injured for the season. I’m not sure where we are at exactly, but he’s either having his ACL done this week or had it done last week.

“It’s sad because he’s a good goalkeeper. Hopefully he will be available next season.

“With an injury like that, you never know how long they will be out or if they will even want to play again. I should imagine he can train from January.

“But training and playing are totally different things. We will work with him and then, hopefully, we will have a very good goalkeeper on our hands. Hopefully he can come back as strong as ever.

“He’s going to be involved. He will be involved on the bench and with the group.

“That’s important for us - don’t forget about them because they are injured. At the end of the day, they got injured playing for the club.

“That’s important for their mental well-being as well, so we’ll support him as much as we can.”

The Salters Lane club have also kept hold of centre-backs Matt Bourne and Jono Richardson and experienced midfielder Sam Bewick, who lives in the town.

“We have got about 12 signed so we are literally there already squad-wise,” revealed Embery.

“We are very pleased with the business we have done. We are pleased to have Simon back on board, I knew he was a fans’ favourite before.

“Speaking to him, he’s changed jobs recently and he’s the fittest he’s ever been.

“That calming influence will be invaluable so we are elated to get him back in.

“We are chuffed to keep Jono and Matt. Bourney has played hundreds and hundreds of games for the club.

“He also has that winning mentality - him and Simon both made the [2013] play-off final with Faversham - and Jono is an experienced player at this level.”

And while Bewick is most often used in centre midfield, he’s capable of playing at right-back and right midfield, too.

Embery stated: “The thing with Sam is he can play right-back, holding central midfield and central attacking midfield.

“What we want is a squad that’s adaptable and Sam fits that bill.

"The young lads will need that experience around them because they will want to go a bit gung-ho at times and they’ll need someone to say ‘Hold on pal, let’s sit in here for five minutes’.

“I also think the lads that we have retained will have a massive impact on the group in general.

“They will set standards, both in training and in games.”

Faversham this week have brought in former AFC Wimbledon wing-back James O’Halloran, ex-Millwall youth striker Connor Cox and ex-Chelsea youth midfielder Tom Carlton - three of a handful of ex-professional youngsters Embery and Jermaine Darlington have managed to sign. Also joining are midfielder Connor Wilkins and Simon Kabamba as well.

“We have brought in some really good quality I think that the fans will enjoy watching,” Embery said.

“They have been released [those joining from professional clubs] but some of them have been injured, to be fair.

“We have worked with some of them before and they have decided to join myself and Jermaine which is pleasing to see.”

Leaving the club this summer are Charlie Dickens and Clark Woodcock (Ashford), Harry Harding (Sittingbourne), Lewis Chambers, Stefan Wright and Emmanuel Oluwasemo (Margate).

Faversham will play friendlies against Margate on July 12, Phoenix Sports on July 19 and Faversham Strike Force on July 30.

They will host newly-promoted Herne Bay on August 6.