New Whitstable manager Scott Porter is delighted to be back in football after being handed the reins at the Belmont until the end of the season.

The 36-year-old has been out of the game since leaving Hythe in 2014 after five seasons at Reachfields, 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.

Porter said he was up for the challenge of trying to halt Town’s slide towards Ryman League, Division 1 South relegation after being appointed on Tuesday night following a meeting with chairman Adam Lightowler.

Porter said: “Whitstable’s a good place to be. It’s a nice club with good people and a good fanbase and the time is right for me to come back.

“The past two years I have done other things away from the game and got married but in the past 12 months or so I have been around and watched a lot of football. I have got the buzz back and recharged my batteries.”

Saturday’s 6-1 defeat at Hastings – Town’s seventh straight and 31st in 37 games – means they are 17 points from guaranteed safety with nine games remaining – although last night’s (Wednesday) trip to Walton Casuals was washed-out giving Porter more time to revamp his squad before Saturday’s visit of high-flying Worthing (3pm).

He said: “I have got to get in some winners and battlers, players that will run through brick walls for me.”

“I am here to try and perform the Great Escape. We have picked four games out of the nine which we think we can win.”

Mr Lightowler said: “(Scott’s appointment) is as a result of the club’s desire to finish the season strongly.”