Whitstable Town boss Jamie Coyle hints he may come out of retirement as Oystermen beat Rusthall 3-0 to reach Kent Senior Trophy final ahead of top-of-the-table home match against Larkfield & New Hythe

Manager Jamie Coyle may come out of retirement for Whitstable’s season run-in.

Coyle initially hung up his boots in a blaze of glory after the Oystermen won the FA Vase at Wembley last season.

But with Isaac Currie and Jack Nelson cup-tied, and captain Jake McIntyre and midfielder Mikey Dalton injured, the 42-year-old named himself as an unused substitute for last weekend’s 3-0 Kent Senior Trophy semi-final win at home to Rusthall.

Coyle explained: “We were a little bit short on numbers.

“Ultimately, I’ve got the (Seniors) World Cup again in the summer. If I need to fill in or help out at some point, I might do that.

“Ideally, I don’t want to play but, when the numbers are low and we don’t have the players in that position, I know that I can do a job.”

Defender Coyle, who counts Maidstone, Welling United and Dartford among his old clubs from a distinguished career, will return to first-team training this week in case he is needed in the Southern Counties East League Premier Division side’s run-in.

“Naturally, I’m doing stuff away from football but, this week, I’m going to get back on the grass,” Coyle revealed. “I’m doing it, really, to make up the numbers.

“We have Will Thomas who has started 40 games already this season and Finn O’Mara has played more than 35, and Jake McIntyre is already on more than 30.

“It’s been a long season already for them. It’s going to be a really busy back-end to the season and making sure the players are fit is going to be key.

"It’s not about me at all.

“If I have to fill in and do a job, I will, but the players have done fantastically well back there this season.”

Two-goal midfielder Bradley Schafer bagged a brace before striker Javaun Splatt scored a penalty as Whitstable beat Rusthall -