Sittingbourne manager Darren Blackburn keen to build on club's best finish in nine years

Sittingbourne boss Darren Blackburn is set for talks with the board to discuss building on their promising campaign.

The Brickies took 10th place in Isthmian South East - their highest finish in nine years.

It was Blackburn’s first full season in charge and, having laid the foundations at Woodstock, he’s keen to improve.

“The club have got a meeting this week and I’d imagine we’ll have a chat about things after that,” said Blackburn, who will need a new assistant as Darren Pont is moving behind the scenes to work on the youth set-up.

“There’s certain things I want to sit down and discuss.

“If they want to keep me, brilliant, I’d like to stay on, it’ll be good to carry on building.

“It is going to be even more difficult next season with Chatham and Sheppey coming up, two big local powerhouses who we’re going to have to try and compete with.

“I need a few assurances on a few bits and pieces but Mo (chairman Maurice Dunk) and a lot of the guys on the board have been doing this a long time and they know what they’re doing.

“Mo’s a laid-back guy, he’s not one to panic, he’s a chilled-out chairman, which is good in many ways, but once we’ve had a discussion I’ll know where we are.

“This isn’t about me, it’s about the club. The club was here a long time before me and it’ll be here a long time after I go.”

Blackburn enjoys a great relationship with the Sittingbourne faithful.

He formed an instant bond with supporters after taking charge two years ago and it’s clear how much that means to him.

“It’s humbling to have had so many nice comments from the fans,” said Blackburn.

“They’re a down-to-earth bunch who are football-mad and Sittingbourne-mad and, fortunately, they seem to like me, which is nice.

“You get clubs where maybe 60%