Different surroundings but the same FA Cup buzz for Ramsgate boss Steve Lovell, whose last game in the competition was a fourth-round tie at Swansea with 15,000 fans

There were more than 15,000 fans in the stadium the last time Ramsgate boss Steve Lovell was in charge of an FA Cup tie.

That was in January 2019 when Lovell took his Gillingham side to Swansea for a fourth-round clash, having knocked out then-Premier League Cardiff in the previous stage.

The Gills lost 4-1 in front of 15,080 fans at the Liberty Stadium but it was a day to remember as Lovell faced his boyhood club.

The surroundings will be slightly different when Rams travel to Rusthall in this season’s preliminary round tomorrow.

But the buzz will be the same for Lovell, whose side opened their Isthmian South East campaign with a 3-0 home win over Cray Valley on Saturday, followed by a midweek goalless draw at Sittingbourne.

“Whatever level you are, you have that buzz, otherwise you wouldn’t do it,” said Lovell.

“On Saturday we beat Cray Valley 3-0 and it was the same feeling you get beating Rotherham or Portsmouth, like we did, or Cardiff, a Premier League side, in the FA Cup.

“You can only beat what’s put in front of you and if you win the games and achieve what you’re meant to do, you get that same buzz.

“The moment I lose that buzz, I’ll pack up.

“It’s obviously a different level to Gillingham but it doesn’t matter about the level, it’s the same principles I put into the boys.

“I treat it as professionally as I can and make sure the players are all disciplined, on and off the field, and respect what the club’s doing for them.

“That’s what we do, me and Mark (Lovell, son and assistant manager), we enjoy what we do and long may that continue.”