More on KentOnline
Midfielder Danny Green says Margate boss Nikki Bull deserves huge credit for the way he has turned the club's fortunes around so quickly.
Before Bull succeeded ex-boss Terry Brown in mid-December Gate were languishing in the bottom three of Vanarama National League South, but a run of 13 points from his first six games, has propelled the Blues to 11th, just six points off fifth place.
Green - a scorer in Saturday's 4-1 home win over Chelmsford - says it is far too early to talk about chasing a play-off berth, but feels Bull has done a remarkable job in reviving the club's season given the squad is much the same as it was when Brown left.
He said: "Obviously Nikki has changed the style we play slightly but I wouldn't pin it (the turnaround) on that. I'd pin it on he's got a lot of energy, he's got people working really hard for him, we're really organised and much harder to beat.
"It's down to his man management as well. He's a very good man manager. He gets the best out of people as you can see at the moment.
"It's one of them where you don't want to get too excited, and (need to) keep your feet on the ground but what the manager has done with the boys in a short space of time is quite remarkable."
Green had to bide his time after being left out of the side for Bull's first three games in charge and he says the intense competition for starting places at Hartsdown Park is bringing out the best in everyone.
He added: "I've been at other clubs where some (new) managers have come in and they say 'I want rid of five or six' but Nikki's kept the nucleus.
"He's brought in Matt Johnson (from Ebbsfleet) but the rest of us know each other from pre-season.
"He's extracting so much more out of everyone and there is so much more energy and togetherness.
"I didn't play the first three games, and we won two and drew the other so I had to wait for my chance. There are some good players in squad who aren't playing and it can be hard. They'd be playing at any other team in the league."