New Lordswood chairman Terry Hussey is pushing to get the club playing at a higher level.

Hussey was officially unveiled as the Southern Counties East club’s new chairman last week and he’s hoping for a return from his investment with results on and off the pitch.

He said: “I’m very happy to have joined Lordswood and am very much looking forward to the season starting following the signing of a lot of exciting and talented players.

“My vision for the club is to gain promotion to the Bostik leagues, to establish an excellent youth system to bring youth players through to the first team along with improving and developing the ground and the clubs sponsorship and fanbase.”

Hussey, 31, is a local businessman who stopped playing football at the age of 18 due to injury. He played at Kent Schools, Kent County and England Schoolboy level.

Among the new faces who have arrived this summer is former Gillingham youth player Michael Freiter.

The midfielder is an eye-catching signing for Lords, who have already bagged last season’s prolific SCEFL Division 1 marksman Caine Smith, who moved from K Sports.

“When the opportunity came up to sign him we jumped at the chance,” said manager Richard Styles.

“He’s been great around the lads in training. He’s played at a higher level, he’s been successful and he brings that into our changing room. It’s a massive boost.

Styles is benefitting from having an increased budget this summer, after boardroom changes, but knows that brings extra pressure, saying: "We didn’t have pressure on us before but now we need to deliver.

“We are investing in the playing side but we have increased it in a way where it is manageable, we’re not just chucking money at it. We aren’t paying the kinds of money that some clubs are at this level.”

Lordswood will play a Charlton Athletic XI in a friendly match next month. The match, which has been scheduled for Wednesday, August 29, has been organised as part of Lordswood’s 50 year celebrations.

Their friendly against Margate Sports last weekend was halted early, with the Medway side leading 10-2. Read more on in this week's Medway Messenger.