Folkestone Invicta have brought their Fullicks Stadium up to Ryman League Premier Division standard at a cost of £15,000.

The club’s directors have worked hard to make the club ready for life at Step 3 – if Neil Cugley’s side can deliver promotion from Division 1 South this term.

After the demolition of the storm-damaged Wilf Armory Stand over the summer, the ground has been reconfigured and now Invicta are gunning to go up.

Chief executive Jim Pellatt said: "We have spent £15,000 on that work so far and are pleased that what we’ve done seems to have been universally accepted.

"The seating and standing combined now meets Ryman Premier grading criteria once again so this season we want to concentrate on fulfilling what was initially a long-term goal, then a medium one, and now a short-term objective – that of eventually establishing ourselves in the Ryman Premier League."

He added: "We want to continue to play the very attractive style of football our manager Neil Cugley has established and which has proved so popular with supporters and won our team many admirers in recent seasons."

Invicta, whose first two games were against Three Bridges and Faversham, host Tooting & Mitcham on Saturday.

Cugley said: "Getting maximum points from these games was always going to be difficult.

"I’ve always said that one year, Tooting will do really well. They’ve got a nice ground and a great catchment area."

Full story in the Folkestone & Hythe Express.