It’s all about rebuilding the club and making it a stable place on and off the pitch to allow us to be successful again, says Margate boss Steven Watt

MARGATE manager Steven Watt says he is starting to re-build the club for a return to the Isthmian Premier League.

The club has suffered both on and off-the-pitch during the season and have suffered relegation from the Vanarama National League South.

Watt’s arrival has sparked a mini-arrival as Margate have picked up nine points from their last 11 games -but the damage was done earlier on in the season.

Margate went down to a 1-0 defeat at home to title-chasing Ebbsfleet United on Easter Monday.

The Fleet travel to Maidenhead United tomorrow knowing victory over the league leaders will close the gap to a couple of points going into the last day of the season on 29 April.

Margate travel to fourteenth-placed Oxford City tomorrow and Scotsman Watt said: “We’re looking forward to the game tomorrow after a very positive performance last week against Ebbsfleet.

“I will be looking to build on the performance last week and try and get my first away win since I have taken over here.

“The club hasn’t had a great away record this season and I’m hoping to reward the travelling  fans with another good performance and hopefully three points.”

Margate go into their last two league games of the season sitting second-from-bottom in the table with 25 points from their 40 league games and will be looking for a more enjoyable campaign under Watt in their new surroundings next season.

Watt said: “I have really enjoyed my time at the club. It was always going to be a tough ask to try to stay in this division but I feel like the players, management team and myself gave it all we had but unfortunately fell short of doing so.

“I looked to make small realistic targets when I came in to improve the team and make us more competitive. Sixteen straight losses was an area I obviously wanted to change straight away and within a week we picked up the first point in 18 games, which was a weight of the club’s shoulders.

“I think from that point the players gained more confidence and have been unlucky not to pick up more points than what we have over recent weeks.

“It’s all about rebuilding the club and making it a stable place on and off the pitch to allow us to be successful again.

“We have had over 60 players play here this season due to the situation the club was in.  I have already made plans for rebuilding the squad and want to have a small tight squad with quality to compete in the league next year.”

Visit Margate’s website:  www.margate-fc.co.uk

Oxford City  v  Margate
Vanarama National League South
Saturday 22^nd April 2017
Kick Off 3:00pm
At Marsh Lane, Marston, Oxford, Oxfordshire OX3 0NQ