Liam Daish says he is ready for the biggest challenge of his managerial career, maintaining Ebbsfleet United’s Blue Square Premier status on the league’s lowest budget.

He confirmed he has had to let assistant manager Alan Kimble go, ending the four-and-a-half year partnership at Stonebridge Road.

Defender Paul McCarthy steps up to a new role of assistant player-manager, while PASE manager Ian Docker, goalkeeping coach Ron Hillyard and physio Paul Wilson will also stay on.

Daish (pictured right) is due to meet chief executive John Moules this week to discuss the "finer details" of his contract, after MyFootball Club members voted overwhelmingly for him to stay on.

More than 93 per cent of the near 2,600 who voted were in favour of re-appointing Daish, who took over from Andy Ford in February 2005.

Kimble’s departure follows secretary Roly Edwards’ decision to leave the club and Daish paid tribute to both men.

He said: "The budget wouldn’t allow me to keep another non-playing coach.

"We worked well together and Alan was a part of all the success.
"I’m sure there will be plenty of clubs interested in him and football needs people like him in the game.

"Roly was a massive help to me and fantastic for the club, doing it all on a voluntary basis. He will be a huge loss and has left big shoes to fill. The club has lost two big personalities."

Explaining McCarthy’s step-up to the new management team, Daish said: "Macca finished strongly but I don’t see him playing 40-50 matches during the season.

"He is at an age where he has to look after himself and it will be a case of him ticking over between games, rather than training.

He added: "It will be my biggest challenge, because I am starting from scratch and building another team with the five contracted players that are still at the club.

"At the moment, I am making a lot of phone calls and doing a lot of networking, seeing which players are available at the right price but supporters will have to be patient."

Daish, who says he was unaware that striker George Purcell joined Blue Square South side Braintree last week, is also trying to arrange pre-season friendlies as well as recruit players.