Nikki Bull says he hopes keeper Chris Lewington will see his move to Margate as an opportunity to rekindle his Football League career.

Sidcup-born Lewington became Bull's first signing when he joined the Blues on Friday and made an accomplished debut in Saturday's 1-0 Vanarama National League South home win over Gosport Borough.

The 27-year-old spent six years with Dagenham and Redbridge clocking up 120 League appearances, and still harbours ambitions of returning to the big time having had his contract with League 1 Colchester United cancelled by mutual consent in September.

Fellow keeper Bull said he always planned to give up playing once he had been appointed Gate boss, but admitted he could only do that once he knew he had a capable replacement.

The 34-year-old said: "The biggest problem for me (after being named boss) was coming out of goal. I had to have total trust in the person I was putting in there or it wouldn't work either way.

"There's no point me galvanising the team and trying to improve as a manager if I've got a young, inexperienced keeper letting them in at the other end.

"I've worked very hard over the last 10 days, watching under-21 games, getting recommendations. We had an extensive list of keepers and then I got a call to say Chris was available, he was training with Dagenham and that he was keen to get back into the League.

"He was waiting for an opportunity, a few things had fallen through for him in the League over the last couple of months so I got straight on the phone and said 'Look Chris We've got some big games over Christmas if you want to be in the shop window.'

"He's a Kent lad, and we've got Maidstone, Dartford, Maidstone (over Christmas and New Year). I said come here, play some games, put yourself in the shop window and I could not be more happy to sign him because, hand on heart, if I hadn't I would probably have had to play against Gosport. That would have gone against everything I was trying to do as a manager."