Sheppey United put their early season woes firmly behind them in January and manager Jack Midson has been recognised with a prestigious award.

The Ites roared into 2023 off the back of a 4-1 thrashing of Swale rivals Sittingbourne and followed it up with victories over Ashford United (2-1), Chichester City (2-0), Hythe Town (1-0) and a 7-3 win against Littlehampton.

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Sheppey finished the month with a draw against Corinthian (1-1) and opened their account in February with a 2-2 draw against Faversham Town to make it seven unbeaten in the league.

Midson’s men have made a rapid move up the table, from 12th to 7th in the last month, and sitting as high as fifth. Back in October they were as low as 18th. Midson has now been named the Isthmian South East manager-of-the-month for January.

Praising Sheppey and their manager, the Isthmian League said: “It isn’t too long ago that the Ites were looking nervously over their shoulders at the wrong end of the table, and their turnaround since then has been quite breathtaking to watch. It’s no surprise that we’re giving our trophy to Jack Midson.”

It’s been some turnaround for Midson and the team and he praised his staff for making their club as professional as it can be.

He said: “It’s about the personnel we have brought in, we have stuck to our guns with how we want to set up and we’ve been as professional as we can.

“From my experience if you can try and replicate a professional environment as much as is physically possible being a non-league football club and get people to believe in that then you have got half a chance.

“It is a team effort here, not just the players but the coaching staff, we have that natural progression coming through with (first team coaches) Simon Beard and Ross Wiles from the under-23s.

“Jono (Richardson, assistant manager) has been a big plus for me coming in. I was searching for that person to be my assistant and it’s not just his knowledge and intelligence around the place, but he knows a lot of players in this league.

"I have highlighted a couple of players and he has contributed his own views, sometimes it has been a plus, other times he has said, ‘no, don’t bother’. It has taken the pressure off me doing everything as well as trying to play.

“We have Lee Allen the media guy but he does everything, keeps us up to date with the stats, the videos. He has done it before I have even asked and with the kit as well, we have tried to replicate a professional environment as much as we physically can without having everyone in full-time.

“Fair play to everyone. I am just the head honcho who makes the final decision.”

Midson has taken some stick since picking up the manager’s job from Ernie Batten in the summer but has kept believing in what they are doing.

“You have to take the rough with the smooth,” he said.

“You do take a few pelters and even when you are winning people moan about things but we believe in what we are doing. We are seven unbeaten and in a really good position.”