Margate have named Steve Watt as their new manager for the rest of the season.

Watt's appointment comes less than 24 hours after former boss Nikki Bull resigned from the club.

Former Maidstone centre-back Watt was playing in Ryman League Division 1 South with Hastings, where he also held a coaching role.

He faces a difficult task in keeping Margate in National League South. They sit nine points from safety after a run of 16 successive league defeats.

They have scored just one goal in their last 11 matches and face a crunch clash at home to struggling Whitehawk on Saturday.

Mike Sandmann has joined Margate alongside Watt in the role of first-team coach.

Hastings boss Darren Hare told his club's website: "Steve has been instrumental of where we've got to this season and been a good ambassador both on the pitch but mainly in the dressing room and coaching. He will be a loss and we've been a good partnership.

"Having said that we are galvanised group and players smelling success and we believe we've got the expertise on and off the field to finish the job. Timing is bad but it was too good of an opportunity to turn down. He goes with our best wishes and our thanks."