Whitstable are waiting on international clearance after one of their key players returned from the other side of the world.

Nick Treadwell has been living in New Zealand, playing for Dunedin-based Premiership side Southern United.

But he’s now back in the UK and Town boss Scott Porter hopes to have him available for Saturday’s game against VCD Athletic.

Porter said: “We’re trying to get Nick Treadwell over the line and he’ll add some bite to the side.

“He’s well-known at the football club so we’re just waiting for international clearance for him.

“Nick will be a good addition. He’s a good lad, wears his heart on his sleeve and he’s come back from New Zealand really fit.

“He’s been playing a decent standard and he’s raring to go so we’re just going through the paperwork now.”

Treadwell’s return is timely given Whitstable’s plight in Bostik South East.

They’ve gone six games without a win and are being dragged towards the relegation dogfight.

Porter said: “It puts more pressure on your day-to-day life, of course it does. You speak a lot with your coaching staff and you speak to players individually.

“We’re a tight-knit group and we’ve got a lot of respect for each other.

“We’re a promoted team and we haven’t been consistent this season but we don’t feel sorry for ourselves.

“It just makes you more determined to get the results.”

Whitstable were held 0-0 by a much-improved Greenwich Borough on Saturday.

“That’s just the way it’s going,” Porter said.

“They get seven past them in the last two games, get joint-managers in and five new signings from academies.

“So when you need a little bit of good fortune, it didn’t happen.

“We’re not on a very good run but I’ve got an honest bunch of boys who believe in what we’re trying to do.

“You have these stages in a season where you’ve got to knuckle down, work harder and pull together.

“We don’t become a bad team overnight.

“We’re having a blip but I trust the boys.

“I’m not going to make changes, I believe in the players I’ve got and we just need something to fall for us.

“You can always gloat about the good times but when you’ve got the bad times, you see the characters and I’ve got 16 of them in my changing-room.”