Margate report back for pre-season this weekend with a new left-back in their ranks.

Archie Johnson has joined the Gate after a strong campaign at Beckenham, where he cleaned up in the player-of-the-year awards and was named in the Isthmian South East team-of-the-year.

He was known to Gate boss Reece Prestedge from their time together at Welling and has developed into a fine player.

“We were in the market for a left-back and I saw Archie’s name at Beckenham,” said Prestedge, who will take the opening training session at Dartford on Saturday.

“I did my research and he’d had a couple of very good years.

“Everyone I spoke to about him sung his praises.

“He had some other offers but he’s a really good signing for us.

“He’s won the manager’s player, supporters’ player and players’ player-of-the-year last season and when the signing was announced people were saying he was the best left-back in that league last season, so fair credit to him.

“He must have been about 19 when I knew at him at Welling.

“Joe Anderson was the main left-back but Archie was training and trying to push through.

“He’s got experience now and it helps when you remember players you’ve known from previous clubs.”

Johnson helped Beckenham reach the play-offs, where they were edged by Whitehawk in the semi-finals, and Prestedge is confident he’ll handle Isthmian Premier football at Margate.

“There probably is a bit of a step up but he’s been around the Conference South with Welling as a young player,” said Prestedge.

“I can’t see any problem in him coming in and putting his stamp on things at left-back.

“He likes to do both sides of the game. He can defend but he likes to get on as well, which is good for the way we want to play.

“He got a lot of assists last season.”

Margate have confirmed young striker Harvey Smith is staying at the club.

Smith impressed at the end of last season, scoring twice against Potters Bar, and he also struck in the Kent Senior Cup semi-final win over Thanet rivals Ramsgate.

“He did really well towards the end of last season,” said Prestedge.

“He’s got a lot to learn and hopefully he steps up to the plate.

“His attitude is spot on, he’s willing to work on the things he needs, and he’s got an eye for goal.

“He goes through patches with his confidence but we pulled him last season and said, ‘Don’t worry, things won’t always go your way, keep going’ and he scored two well-taken goals against Potters Bar.

“We’ve got competition up there, with Steve Cawley and Phil Roberts, but he’s put himself in the frame.”

Cawley, the former Concord and Hemel striker, is the most high-profile summer signing at Margate.

A prolific striker in National South over the years, Prestedge was surprised to land the 31-year-old from Southern League Premier Central Hitchin.

“I played with him many years ago at Bishop’s Stortford, and he always had a great eye for goal then,” said Prestedge.

“The Concord and Hemel years were fantastic for him.

“The only reason he dropped down was to play more local because of his family.

“If I’m honest, I didn’t think we had a chance of getting him but he said he was well up for it.

“I played with him and Ben (Greenhalgh, player-assistant manager) played with him at Concord and it helped that he knew us both.”