Ashford United manager and co-owner Lloyd Hume looking to emulate the achievements of Chatham Town

Ashford United manager and co-owner Lloyd Hume sees Chatham Town as a club to emulate.

Chats, 3-0 winners in an FA Cup second qualifying round tie at Homelands last weekend, have been transformed in recent years.

They went from the Southern Counties East League to the Isthmian Premier in successive seasons and only narrowly missed out on a third straight promotion.

The club regularly attract big crowds at their Maidstone Road ground, where the matchday experience has fans flocking back.

Chats, who also have a successful academy, now train full-time and are ambitious to keep climbing the non-league pyramid under the ownership and management of Kevin Hake.

They’re an example for other clubs to follow and Hume, whose side beat Deal 2-1 in Isthmian South East on Tuesday night, sees an opportunity to do exactly that.

“I look at Chatham, I look at Ramsgate, I look at clubs like that,” he said.

“Let’s be clear, 10 years ago Chatham was one man and his dog.

“Today, it’s a fantastic environment they’ve created.

“They’ve created a really good team, they get 1,500-2,000 supporters.

“It’s amazing what they’ve created there as a whole gameday experience and with a really good side.

“We want to emulate teams like that.

“If anything, we’ve got an easier job because Chatham didn’t start with a fanbase of 300-400.

“Ten or 15 years ago, they used to get 100 people.

“They’ve done an amazing job of building a club that’s really something for others to aim at.

“We’ve got the potential but equally I don’t want to aim that high straight away because it’s taken them a long time to do it.

“Kevin’s done a fantastic job. You’ve only got to turn up there and see the whole place is bouncing and it feels like a proper football club.

“They’ve got a