Ramsgate manager Tony Russell has put family plans on hold as he concentrates on putting a team together for their Isthmian South East promotion challenge

Manager Tony Russell had turned down opportunities elsewhere before he unexpectedly got the chance to take over at Ramsgate - but not everybody was happy.

Russell left Lewes at the end of the season and he’d just given his teacher-wife the green light to plan a couple of trips away during the school holidays. She’d even rounded up the family for a big get-together at the end of this month.

Those summer plans are in the bin after Ben Smith’s unexpected departure led to Russell getting the call to take over.

Russell’s now busy putting together a squad ready for pre-season. Even Father’s Day plans have had to be scrapped as he’ll be at the club meeting fans.

“It was a pretty straightforward decision,” said the new Rams boss, having just ended a three-year stay at Lewes.

“My biggest problem was my missus! When I turned down the last club I said there wouldn’t be any more manager positions available, not in the middle of the summer with the season starting in three or four weeks.

“I said ‘managers don’t go now’ and that we’d be looking at October-November time for the next manager merry-go-round.

“She works in the school and I said ‘let’s wait for the six-week holiday, go away once at the start and then at the end of August and she was really excited. We have never been away over the six-week holiday because of football.

“The day before this all happened she’d also organised for the family to go to Windsor racing, including a boat trip. My kids and their girlfriends were all coming, then the phone goes at night and it’s [Ramsgate chairman] James [Lawson].

“I’m thinking, ‘What’s he ringing me for?!’. He asked me if I was still out of football. I thought he was going to recommend a job somewhere but he said he was looking for a