Danny Kedwell is calling upon Chatham fans to come out in their numbers this season.

Successive crowds of more than 2,000 watched Chats do what they needed to against Ramsgate and Cray Valley in their final two home fixtures last season to be crowned Isthmian South East champions at the Bauvill Stadium in their first campaign back at the level.

Kevin Hake’s side topped the average attendance table - albeit bumper crowds in their season run-in did contribute to that overall figure, a shade more than 1,000.

Hake’s No.2 wants to see more of the same, ahead of their opening-day home match against Bognor Regis this Saturday.

Kedwell said: “This club is going places.

“Each week, the support has been getting bigger and bigger.

“But we need that support from the beginning of the season. Fans do play a big part in what we do.

“They were a bit quiet against Cray Valley, but they were probably about as nervous as we were at the beginning of the game. But once we went 2-0 up, we could really hear them.

“We just need them from day one and it goes down to what Hakey has achieved. He works his nuts off for this club, not just on the field but off the field, as well.

“I’m buzzing for him. This is all for him.”

It’ll be a huge step up for Chats.

But Kedwell, who spent a brief stint in charge of division rivals Cray Wanderers at Step 3, before leaving the club after Christmas 2021, reckons it’s a transition they can make.

“We have players that are good enough for that level,” insisted the 40-year-old, who faced son Harvey Kedwell on Tuesday as Chats lost 2-1 to a Charlton side in a friendly.

“Obviously, I have managed at that level for four months so I know what it needs.

“These boys can do it.

“We have seen it many times how good these boys are.”

There has been more behind Chatham’s success than just what happens at first-team level - something Kedwell knows all about - with young full-back Ike Orji joining Football League neighbours Gillingham.

“Obviously I run an Academy myself at Ebbsfleet,” he noted. “We’ve played Chatham in the league and they have some very talented young kids in the league.

“That’s what Tim [Moffatt, first-team coach and Academy manager] has done, he’s built it very well with some really good players, and I’m sure a few of them will get a chance this year to be around the squad.

“The higher you go, you do need that pathway.

“I’m really looking forward to it.”