Long-serving Whitstable Town defender Will Thomas on competing towards top-end of Isthmian South East next season, the impact of club’s fans and learning from his manager Jamie Coyle

Defender Will Thomas sees no reason why Whitstable cannot compete towards the top-end on their Isthmian South East return.

The Oystermen are back at Step 4 after they stormed to the Southern Counties East League Premier Division title by 19 points.

Naturally, the first target for any newly-promoted club is to maintain their status, but Thomas has much loftier ambitions than just that.

It’s been a trophy-laden last two years for Whitstable, who also won the Kent Senior Trophy this term, nearly a year on from an historic FA Vase victory.

On that run they beat AFC Whyteleafe - in the final at Wembley - and Jersey Bulls while they saw off Faversham in the Kent Senior Trophy in January 2025 despite the Lilywhites storming to the title that season. All three then proceeded to finish in the Isthmian South East top seven, with the former even promoted to Isthmian Premier through the play-offs.

“If you look at the teams that went up last year - Faversham, Whyteleafe and Jersey Bulls - they have done well,” said Thomas. “We beat all three sides last year!

“It just shows, if we can keep a good squad together and continue our momentum, we can have a right good go.

“As a club, we’re confident we can keep doing what we are doing and pushing up the leagues.”

Next season will be the Oystermen’s first of Isthmian League football since 2022.

Thomas, who first joined in 2020, said: “To do it with the club I’ve been at for six years now, I’m really looking forward to it.

"The club has definitely got the ambition and the status to go on even further.

“Hopefully, we can carry on from the last two years and see what else the club can achieve.”

Whitstable attracted an average league attendance of 713 - by far the best in the division - on the