National League South will be within Folkestone Invicta’s reach - if they can push their average home attendance above 400.

That’s the view of chairman Jim Pellatt as automatic promotion to the Ryman League Premier Division draws closer with every passing week.

Folkestone have averaged gates of 378 at the Fullicks Stadium so far in 2015-16 and Mr Pellatt believes they can swell that support between now and the end of the season.

With thoughts in the boardroom already turning to life at the next level, more money through the turnstiles is the key to laying solid foundations for another promotion push.

Mr Pellatt said: "If we can establish ourselves in the Ryman Premier and improve our gates, I think we could, later on, have a tilt at Conference South.

"Conference South is a realistic longer-term target but it does depend on us getting the gates up. Our gates are rising but to sustain the level above, we need a minimum of 400.

"The travelling would be extensively different. You look at this league and you’ve got Faversham, Herne Bay, Whitstable, Hythe and so on but go up and you’ve got teams like Leiston (in Suffolk) which means much more travelling.

"The wage bill would have to go up. We wouldn’t buy success but I think we could find enough to establish ourselves. It does depend on people coming out in greater numbers and supporting us though."

Folkestone have pulled in four crowds of more than 400 this season and attendances are bound to climb steadily as they close in on the title.

Mr Pellatt said: "I do think those people are out there. The club did enjoy better gates in the old Folkestone Town days.

"When it went bust a couple of times, people went over to Dover but it’s noticeable that they’re starting to drift back.

"This season, the gates have started to go up towards that figure and sometimes we’ve had gates above that figure.

"We need now to average that out a bit and get a core support of that."

Read the full interview in the Folkestone & Hythe Express.