FORMER Chelsea and Leyton Orient player Kevin Hales has joined Margate as assistant to manager Chris Kinnear.

The former assistant manager at Stevenage was also in charge of former Conference side Welling, and had been linked, like Kinnear, with the recent vacancy at Dr Martens League side Crawley.

Hales, 42, started his career at Chelsea, then spent 10 seasons at Orient before moving to Welling. He spent seven years at Park View Road and was responsible for the club’s highly successful YTS programme which included Fulham’s Republic of Ireland international Steve Finnan.

Since leaving Stevenage he has been scouting for West Ham. Kinnear said: “I have been talking to Kevin for some time. I see it as a very good appointment.”