Kevin Watson to stand down as Herne Bay manager after campaign which ends in Isthmian Premier relegation

Herne Bay’s final game of their inaugural Isthmian Premier season - set to end in relegation - will be Kevin Watson’s last in charge.

Watson replaced Ben Smith in November and was joined by Adam Flanagan as his assistant, with the club bottom.

Bay’s fate was sealed with a 4-1 loss at Wingate & Finchley last weekend but, ahead of hosting champions Bishop’s Stortford this Saturday, it was confirmed Watson would step aside from his role at Winch’s Field at the end of the campaign.

The news comes after Stuart Fitchie stood down as chairman last month. A new chairman is understood to have been appointed at last weekend’s AGM - but their identity has not been revealed.

In a lengthy statement on Friday evening, Watson, who recently revealed players had gone weeks without their wages being paid, said: “It is with sadness that I announce this Saturday's game against Bishop’s Stortford will be my last as the first-team manager of Herne Bay.

“The decision to leave has been a difficult one and yet I feel it is the right one. It is difficult in the sense that I feel connected to the club, having got to know a lot of passionate people involved and supporting the club since arriving in late November. The right one in terms of what will be best, with the club needing to re-adjust its priorities and ambitions to stabilise things moving forward under a new chairman and board of directors.

“I need to make it abundantly clear that this decision has not been made as a result of relegation but rather other mitigating circumstances.

“When I left Cray Valley, I was privileged to be in a position where I had a few options available to further my managerial career. I chose Herne Bay because it represented to me the biggest challenge, with the