Player-boss Wayne Wilson insists Whitstable could not be any more motivated for Saturday’s trip to Faversham.

The Oystermen head to the A299 derby led by Wilson and with Dean Grant and Stuart King up front – the trio having played at Salters Lane as recently as November and remaining Faversham’s top three scorers this season.

Tensions have run high between the Ryman League Division 1 South clubs since Town appointed Wilson and Ian Cox in November, with the Oystermen then swooping to sign Grant and later for King after his Faversham exit earlier this month.

Wilson admitted he had been looking forward to the game for some time and added: “It’s big game, for a number of reasons, not just because they are local rivals or because of the amount of familiar faces but also a certain team (Faversham) held onto a certain player’s (Wilson) registration for a while longer than they had to.

“There is no lack of motivation here and I certainly won’t need to come up with a team talk.”

One player lining up opposite Town could be young forward Kieron Campbell, who joined the Lilywhites as part of the King agreement.

Former Faversham skipper Wilson said: “I did know everything about them but they have changed quite a bit – there are probably six or seven changes from the side, even since I was there.”

While Faversham are outside the play-offs on goal difference and seeking to get out of the division in one direction, the Oystermen are 15 points from safety and desperate to stay in it at the other end.

Wilson added: “I honestly don’t care what they do this season. I suppose it would be nice to keep all the Kent teams in the league, but all we’re focused on is our own situation.”

Town allowed a 1-0 lead against Hastings to slip to a 2-1 defeat at the Belmont in the final 10 minutes on Saturday and Wilson claimed: “We were incredibly unlucky. We hit the post three times.

“Hopefully the players can take confidence and belief out of that performance because they really should have beaten one of the best teams in this division.”

King scored against Hastings and Wilson said: “He has two-in-two and could have had a few more but he’s not the sharpest as he hadn’t played too much before he came here.”

King himself believes his return to Salters Lane will be ‘an interesting day’ and said: “I’ll just keep my head down and if I score then I’ll acknowledge the goal, but I won’t go crazy celebrating.”

Scott Punton and Sam Bewick are suspended for Town, while Taser Hassan has been the subject of a seven-day approach by Ashford United.