It’s definitely a team effort at Whitstable as far as kitman Ada Hubbard is concerned.

Hubbard, 68 this week, has become a much-valued club member in recent seasons.

He joined Whitstable alongside then-manager Lloyd Blackman. Blackman left in September 2021 but Hubbard stayed put.

It’s not only those at The Belmont club, relegated from the Isthmian League in 2022, who help him with his crucial kitman duties, though.

Hubbard explained: “My biggest supporter is my wife, Denise, who often helps with the washing at home.

“When I moved over, she said ‘You have a lot of stuff!’.

“In those days, it was all muddy socks and things like that. I said to her to leave them to me.

“She was working, I was working but, when she came off nights, she helped me out with the kit.

“It’s a good team effort - both with the club and at home.”

Hubbard initially started out as a kitman in Thanet.

“I started my kitman career down at Ramsgate,” explained Hubbard, who was with the Rams when they last made the First Round of the FA Cup in 2005 before repeating the feat this season.

“I was part of the Jim and Danny Ward management team. Lloyd took over down there and then, obviously, he went to Whitstable.

“As I lived in Whitstable, close by, I decided to move there with Lloyd. I had some good times at Ramsgate - but I was going down there from work in Dover.

“Just before Christmas four years ago, before Covid, I joined up with Whitstable. I always enjoyed going to Whitstable, even with Ramsgate.

“It’s always been a good club with great support.

“I enjoy all the banter and all the things that happen in the dressing room - the majority of that stays in the dressing room!”

Popular Hubbard has already worked under his fair share of Whitstable managers.

He said: “I worked with Lloyd when we were in the Isthmian League.

“He left and then it was Keith McMahon and his assistant [Steve Waite]. Obviously, that didn’t work out.

“Then, they moved on to Andy Drury. He had a difficult task. He didn’t have many games to keep us up and that didn’t work.

“He gave the impression he was going to stay but he had other offers and went to Margate.

“He’s now playing at Folkestone. So there’s three managers there and, at the beginning of last season, it was the manager from Tunbridge Wells, Richard Styles.

“I think he knew how special the club was but maybe struggled to cope.

“When we lost an FA Vase game early on, I think it became apparent that he was a bit out of his depth.

“That’s just my honest opinion so the committee decided they wanted to have a change and Marcel Nimani took over from him with Craig Coles.

“There’s a bit of stability now that I think we needed and the football is exciting.”

Hubbard is enjoying life under current boss Nimani, albeit he will be away for an extended spell in a few months’ time.

He said: “I have got a son that lives over in New Zealand so I’ll miss three-and-a-half weeks of football to see them.

“I was supposed to go and see them in 2020 - but myself and my wife are going this season.

“As part of my duties as the kitman, I need to find someone to do it for three or four weeks.

“But it’ll still need to get done.”

Hubbard recalled how, in his time at Ramsgate, they once turned up for an away clash with Hythe with the wrong kit.

He said: “The captain told me the Thursday before that Hythe played in green and Ramsgate play in red.

“I thought ‘That’s fine’ but then, when I arrived, I saw Hythe were playing in red. That meant we only had an hour to get that sorted!”

Crisis was averted as the hosts lended the Rams a youth-team kit in the end.

Whitstable have been hit in recent weeks by the sudden death of youth-team coach Matt Milne, the husband of club secretary Fran Milne.

“That hit me and the club hard,” admitted Hubbard. “But we have responded to that.

“We understand what it means to the community. We’re trying to do Matt proud and I think we did when we played Rusthall the other Saturday.

“But there’s some good teams in the league. Obviously we know all about Faversham, throwing money at it.

“But that’s nothing to do with me. If it helps them win the league, they win the league.

“But there’s other teams - like Deal and Snodland and others - who are good.

“It will be nice if we’re still up there by the time I’m back from New Zealand and can get into the play-offs and maybe win a cup or two.”

As well as with the management staff, Hubbard has a strong bond with several first-team players.

He said: “I’ve had messages this week, including one from Liam Gillies, wishing me a happy birthday.

“He said ‘I will knock a few footballs over into the ground for you!’”

Given his age, Hubbard often shares journeys to away fixtures with another local lad.

“I tend to travel away with Jake Mackenzie now,” he explained. “He was with me at Ramsgate.

“Marcel helps me take the kit but Jake takes me with some of the kit to away grounds. He has been around the club for years – like Tom Mills and a few others.

“Everyone shows me respect and knows what I do.”

While fans, players and coaching staff alike use one word in particular to describe Hubbard, it’s not one he’s overly-comfortable with.

He said: “I know quite a few people have called me a legend – but I don’t think I’m a legend.

“I’m just part of a good, well-run, football club.”

Hat-trick hero Josh Oliver helped Whitstable to a 4-2 home Kent Senior Trophy triumph against Tunbridge Wells last weekend.

Winger Josh Williams also struck early.

They visit bottom side Kennington in the Southern Counties East Premier Division on Tuesday after a free weekend.