Chatham’s new boss Tony Beckingham hopes he can bring a bit of success to a club who have struggled for too long.

Beckingham has previously enjoyed success at a lower level and is excited of the challenge ahead of him at Maidstone Road.

He said: “I have won a few leagues and a few cups but not at this level before and that is the next step. I would love to bring some success to Chatham and nobody will work harder at trying to achieve that.

“The club don’t want to be flirting with relegation again and that’s the first aim, to push up the league.

“We have to be realistic. There have been a few years of struggle, in the Ryman League North and South.

“I am not one for making ridiculous statements. We will do our best and try to finish as high as we can. It’s a new start for the club and we have to be sensible and realistic.

“It would be nice to have a comfortable season without flirting with relegation. We don’t want to be looking over our shoulder anymore.”

Chatham finished 19th in Ryman League Division 1 South last season. They have gone seven years without a top 10-league finish at that level.

Since winning the Kent League in 2001, the club’s best finish was 10th in Ryman League Division 1 North in 2008-09.

Beckingham, 49, said: “You look at the club and think ‘why has it struggled? There must be something wrong’. But having been there and met the guys, there is massive potential.

“Everything you would need and want for this level of football is there. The committee are a nice bunch, down to earth and they have the club’s best interests at heart.

“It is literally a blank canvas. The committee have told us what they would like and they have left us to it. I am excited.”

Read the full story in Friday's Medway Messenger