Stand-in Deal Town skipper Aaron Millbank will have no issues about leaving the act of lifting this season’s Southern Counties East Premier Division trophy to club captain Kane Smith

Stand-in Deal skipper Aaron Millbank will have no issues about leaving the act of lifting the league trophy to club captain Kane Smith.

Millbank was the player in possession of the armband at the final whistle, Saturday’s 3-1 home win against Lydd ensuring Steve King’s Hoops would end the season as Southern Counties East Premier Division champions.

Defender Smith was absent from the squad, while vice-captain Macauley Murray came off in the second half.

But ahead of their home league match against Punjab United tomorrow (Tuesday) night, former Gillingham striker Millbank will be more than happy to allow others behind him in the queue, come the presentation.

“I have stepped in as captain due to Kano being injured,” he explained. “But it’s his.

“He’s the club captain. I just have done what I have needed to do to get the boys over the line.

“But Kano is the club captain and he deserves it.”

Report: Deal 3-1 Lydd

The fact Millbank has ably stepped up to fill the void left by Smith and Murray shows the number of leaders in the squad.

He said: “It’s a bit of a cliche but you do have to step in.

“That’s another positive part of this season. When someone has got injured or someone hasn’t quite been there, another person has stepped in.

“That’s what you have got to do. Asking everyone to play their full game every single week, that’s not sustainable.

“We’re all going to have good and bad days, so it’s important that people help out.”

For Millbank, also involved in Herne Bay’s Isthmian South East play-off success two years ago, it was a second promotion in three years.

The 29-year-old stated: “It’s incredible.

“When I came here and spoke to Kingy and everyone around here, all they wanted was promotion. That was their aim.

“At