Manager Tony Russell had turned down opportunities elsewhere before he unexpectedly got the chance to take over at Ramsgate - but not everybody was happy.

Russell left Lewes at the end of the season and he’d just given his teacher-wife the green light to plan a couple of trips away during the school holidays. She’d even rounded up the family for a big get-together at the end of this month.

Those summer plans are in the bin after Ben Smith’s unexpected departure led to Russell getting the call to take over.

Russell’s now busy putting together a squad ready for pre-season. Even Father’s Day plans have had to be scrapped as he’ll be at the club meeting fans.

“It was a pretty straightforward decision,” said the new Rams boss, having just ended a three-year stay at Lewes.

“My biggest problem was my missus! When I turned down the last club I said there wouldn’t be any more manager positions available, not in the middle of the summer with the season starting in three or four weeks.

“I said ‘managers don’t go now’ and that we’d be looking at October-November time for the next manager merry-go-round.

“She works in the school and I said ‘let’s wait for the six-week holiday, go away once at the start and then at the end of August and she was really excited. We have never been away over the six-week holiday because of football.

“The day before this all happened she’d also organised for the family to go to Windsor racing, including a boat trip. My kids and their girlfriends were all coming, then the phone goes at night and it’s [Ramsgate chairman] James [Lawson].

“I’m thinking, ‘What’s he ringing me for?!’. He asked me if I was still out of football. I thought he was going to recommend a job somewhere but he said he was looking for a manager. I said, ‘what do you mean, you’ve got one!’. For whatever reason, they decided to part ways and they didn’t want to interview anyone.”

Lawson had contacted Russell a year earlier but the timing wasn’t right. This time, even the wife’s summer plans weren’t going to get in the way.

Russell slept on it, then told his partner the next morning.

By lunchtime on the Friday it was a done deal. He spent the weekend at the club, familiarising himself with the people around the ground.

He said: “I love the kind of characters who have been there years, like the person who has been doing the kit for 22 years and I met Buster outside, head of security, standing all hench. I feel safe with him there!

“We have a hell of a lot of work to do now. I got my pass (from the wife) to do it, I am through, but then on Saturday I was out all day meeting players and on Sunday at the club doing media and I’m back next weekend to meet the fans. I am sure James is deliberately trying to get me killed!

“I am trying to get a lot through quality control and we have three kids, I have had to tell her I probably won’t be around on Father’s Day but she is used to it. I think she had just had her heart on those holidays.

“Jobs just don’t come around at this time of the year, usually, but it is what it is. One minute you’re on the sofa watching TV and she’s got the holiday magazines out then one phone call later and I’m driving into Camden Town on Saturday at 10am for a meeting!

“We are everywhere talking to players. It was a hectic first weekend.”

Russell had “three-and-a-half offers”. He had taken over a struggling Lewes team and for the past three seasons got them challenging for a play-off place, missing out on goal difference the first season.

He’d previously led VCD Athletic to back-to-back promotions to the Isthmian Premier before dropping down to manage at Cray Wanderers, where he enjoyed another promotion.

He’s got his trusted assistant boss Joe Vines with him again.

Russell said: “Me and Vines had a list of things we wanted out of a club, in terms of the non-negotiables.

“The way we want to play and coach, we have to have a good surface, away from home you have to deal with it, but if you want to play and coach, you are going to have to have a good pitch, an even surface. Levels have never bothered me. It’s about what you do at the level, in terms of pushing boundaries.

“I am looking forward to getting the team together and working with them. I want a team to grow together and I want to lay some seeds now. It is great what they did before but I have had some tough phone calls, it has been hard, it needed to be done but that’s been done and what we are doing now is all positive.”

Jack Parter is among the players who have said they’ll be leaving the Rams while Jack Paxman is heading back to Deal Town.

Smith’s departure was announced last Friday, having narrowly missed out on promotion from Isthmian South East.

In the FA Cup Ramsgate made it to the Second Round and a televised trip to AFC Wimbledon. His exit came just over a month after the club had confirmed he was staying.

Smith said: “Ramsgate is an unbelievable club from top to bottom and it has been a pleasure to work alongside James, the directors and the army of volunteers and supporters who have given me and the players such incredible backing home and away.

“I was desperate to bring you all the promotion that the club is craving for and I am gutted that our season didn’t quite finish how we wanted which is something that will always haunt me.”