Margate manager Jay Saunders believes they could name their player-of-the-season now.

Saunders is certain left-back Jay Porter will be collecting the award come the end of April after an excellent debut campaign.

Porter, who joined last summer from Enfield, offers the consistency Saunders craves and has taken the captain’s armband in the absence of Ben Swift.

Saunders said: “Jay’s been our most consistent player. You might as well shut down the player-of-the-season and give it to him now because every week you know what you’re getting.

“We need a few more of them and that’s why he’s ended up wearing the armband when Swifty’s been out.

“I’ve always liked him. When I was at Maidstone he always looked solid against us and that’s why when Tom Mills left I tried to get him.”

Another player looking the part at Margate is on-loan Gillingham youngster Tommy Lamb.

The teenager is following in the footsteps of uncle Paul Lamb, who played with Saunders in the Gate team who won promotion to the Conference in 2001.

“Tommy is Lamby’s nephew,” said Saunders, whose side drew 2-2 at Bishop’s Stortford in the Isthmian Premier on Saturday.

“He’s had to be patient and wait for his chance and he’s done that.

“I love his attitude. With Jack Richards out injured I had to play him a bit wider on Saturday.

“I went to speak to him before the game and before I’d even finished he said, ‘I’ll play anywhere, I just want to play football’.

“He’s better than his uncle although they’re completely different players.”

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