Herne Bay manager Ben Smith on facing former player - and pupil - Bradley Stevenson as his side host Billericay Town in Isthmian Premier

Herne Bay boss Ben Smith is “deeply gutted” to see Bradley Stevenson playing at Isthmian Premier level - as he tonight prepares to come up against him.

Smith always felt the former Gillingham and Welling midfielder was destined to become a professional footballer, having been one of his PE teachers at The Canterbury Academy.

But Stevenson, now 24, who briefly played for Bay prior to the pandemic, will return to Winch’s Field with Billericay.

Smith said: “He’s an unbelievable talent.

“I said, when he was a 12-year-old, he would be a professional footballer and some of my fellow PE teachers laughed! But I said if he grew - he was tiny at that point and he has some short people in his family - he would be a professional footballer.

“I never doubted that for one minute so I’m actually deeply gutted he’s playing at this level. I hope he finds a path up higher because he has so much ability.

“He’s a silly boy at times but he’s a lovely lad as well.”

Stevenson has scored seven goals for Billericay this season having netted twice in their 3-1 weekend comeback victory at Wingate & Finchley.

Bay’s manager, whose team are 18th after their 2-1 loss away to 10-man Bognor on Saturday despite Kieron Campbell's goal, also praised the impact coach Tim Dixon has made at the club.

Dixon, who worked alongside Smith at Canterbury City before following him to Herne Bay, has stepped away from his role in the dug-out due to work commitments, despite being at recent games.

But Smith said: “Tim will always be a part of it.

“With his work commitments, he hasn’t been able to commit as much as he wanted. But when he came in at Canterbury with me way back, he said then ‘I can’t always commit’.

“Anyone that knows Tim knows he’s one of the great guys