Whitstable Town have appointed former Hythe manager Scott Porter as manager until the end of the season.

Porter has been out of the game since leaving Reachfields at the end of 2013/14 after five seasons at Hythe, having guided Town from the Kent League to the top-half of the Ryman League Division 1 South, including a memorable FA Cup trip to Hereford in the first round proper in 2010.

Last week chairman Adam Lightowler revealed Colin Patching, currently under-21 boss and newly-appointed Club Development Manager, would take over the running of the first-team in a caretaker capacity following the departure of Ian Cox.

Saturday's 6-1 defeat at Hastings - their seventh straight and 31st in 37 games - means Town are effectively 17 points from safety with nine games remaining ahead of Wednesday night's trip to Walton Casuals.

On Wednesday morning Mr Lightowler said: "We are pleased to confirm that we have appointed Scott Porter as first team manger to the end of the season.

"This is as a result of the club's desire to finish the season strongly and not losing sight of the fact that we as a club want to do all we can to stay in the Ryman South which we feel is where we belong."

He added: "We have a long term development plan that we are implementing but our current objective is to get as many wins and points in the bag as we can.

"All the team and members are supportive of this decision for the remanding games of the season and again ask that our loyal supporters join us to do the same."

Town began the season with Will Graham at the helm, though Simon Halsey replaced him before the end of August, only to be relieved of his duties after the 2-1 defeat to fellow strugglers Chipstead on November 10, the day when Town sunk to the foot of the table and where they have stayed ever since, despite Cox and Wayne Wilson taking charge from November to February.