Herne Bay boss Steve Lovell believes he is in charge of the best club in Isthmian South East - with the best ground to boot!

Lovell is planning for a second consecutive campaign at Winch’s Field in 2024/25, having replaced Kevin Watson last May after Bay’s inaugural Isthmian Premier season ended in relegation.

The one-time Wales striker will be aiming to build upon an eighth-placed finish, along with son-assistant Mark.

“Mark knows a lot of the lads at this level,” explained Steve. “Having played at Herne Bay, as well, he has that real affiliation with the club.

“He still plays for the Veterans team now and again! We enjoy it.

“The pitch is fantastic. It’s the best pitch in the league and, without a doubt, it’s the best club with the way the stadium is set up and the way they run the bar.

“Everything is just first class.”

Among Herne Bay’s confirmed Isthmian South East divisional rivals next term will be Southern Counties East Premier Division champions Deal and Margate, who were relegated from Isthmian Premier.

Lovell said: “You have got Margate coming down and Deal will be coming up, who are very good. They’re big teams.

“Financially, some of them are in a position to push forward and I think that’s the beauty of the non-league game now.

“You have managers, coaches and other people behind the scenes that want success at their football club because, with the pyramid system, they can move on.

“It will be interesting to see where we can go.”

The Lovell duo appear likely to stay put this summer - and will offer all of their 2023/24 first-team squad the chance to return for pre-season.

“I’d like them all to come back next year,” confirmed Lovell.

“Pre-season is the start of another season where they need to prove themselves. But it would be good if we can keep the majority of them.

“I don’t think we will keep all of them, the law of averages says we lose one or two.

“If we do lose one or two, we need to get someone in just as good or better to replace them and we’ll go again.”

Among those offered the chance to remain will be Frankie Smith after the young defender was named players’ player-of-the-season.

“He has done a great job,” admitted Lovell. “He’s a young lad, only 19, but he has a lot to learn.

“Frankie has cost us in a few games this year but it’s a learning curve for him.

“As long as he learns from it, he will become a better player.

“As long as they can take something out of the season as an individual, as well as a team, we have done something right.”

Lovell initially joined Herne Bay amid a backdrop of a chaotic close season this time last year.

This time around, Bay have a platform to build from and will hope for a far quieter summer.

“That’s a big thing having a base,” added Lovell. “When we came in, we had nothing. We had to start afresh and that was hard work last summer.

“In non-league football, you just don’t know. Some of these boys might join someone else in the summer.

“We have got to be mindful of that and, if they do, then we have got to make sure we replace them with someone just as good - or better. We’ll see what happens.

“There’s a long way to go until the start of the season. We have got three or four months ahead of us to try and get it right.”

Bay’s average attendance of more than 500 was the third highest in the league for the 2023/24 season.

Lovell said: “I think they see the brand of football we like to play, they know it’s entertaining, we have a go and they’re very knowledgeable supporters.

“They love the game and they love the football club.”

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