Southern Counties East side Hollands & Blair have made an announcement confirming their permanent manager.

Luke Jessup was put in caretaker charge following Scott Porter’s departure for Lydd Town in January but the club quickly extended that arrangement until the end of the season, despite plenty of interest in the job.

Stepping up from the reserves, Jessup has rebuilt the side with plenty of new faces coming in following Porter’s exit and impressed the club bosses. He’ll now be able to look towards a new challenge in the league next season.

A Blair statement said: “It’s with pleasure that the board of Hollands & Blair can announce the permanent appointment of Luke Jessup as the club’s first team manager.

“Luke and his staff have shown commitment and no shortage of ability in the recent weeks to show the board that the club can develop further under his management.

“Luke, already a league winner of our Kent Youth League Under 13’s this season, has put some strong results together and encouraging performances of late as first team interim manager and is confident of bigger and better days to come.”

Jessup said at the time the appointment was “verging on a dream come true.”

He said: “These chances don’t come around every week, it is about making the most of it.”

Blair were beaten 2-1 at home by promotion-chasing Faversham Town last weekend. They head to Holmesdale this Saturday.