Ramsgate appoint Matt Longhurst as their new manager

RAMSGATE chairman James Lawson has appointed Matt Longhurst as their new manager on New Years’ Eve.

Longhurst, who cut his managerial teeth at Corinthian and Erith & Belvedere, parted company after four years with East Grinstead Town Thursday 12 December, with the club rooted to the foot of the Isthmian League Division One South table.


Ramsgate have appointed former East Grinstead Town manager Matt Longhurst and he took his first training session at Southwood Stadium this evening.
Photo: Ramsgate FC

“In just a short space of time we have had a number of fantastic applications, many of which were from the top echelons of Thanet football who have been galvanised by our drive to promote young local footballers,” Lawson said in a statement.

“I will speak to them all in the coming days and extend an invitation to become part of our set-up.

“It’s talented local people like these that will help us achieve our long-term goal of helping young players in this area become the best footballers that they can be.

“In the immediate term, we are in a relegation battle and are in a position to move quickly having conducted an extensive recruitment process just a couple of months ago in which Matt was a standout candidate.

“Not only does he support our long-term goals but more importantly he knows this league extensively.  We represent an opportunity to apply his skills to a club with greater resources than he has previously worked with.

“I was delighted when Matt highlighted that he felt it was important that we install a coaching team around him from the local area.  There are very few people who know local players better than A Licence coach Seb Tidey – he has trained many of them for a number of years.

“Likewise, with Liam Taylor, until recently he was our under 23 manager and has been instrumental in the development of a very talented group of local players.

“As a club, we would also like to take this opportunity to thank Jason Lillis, Terry Sedge and Joe Radford.  It should be recognised that Jason and his management team acted with professionalism and dignity throughout a time of transition at the club.

“There are always differences of opinion in football but the future of this club is exciting and it’s vital that we all unite behind our new management and support our team.”

Longhurst takes charge of Ramsgate for the first time when tenth-placed VCD Athletic arrive at Southwood Stadium on Saturday 4 January 2020 (15:00).

Ramsgate are second-from-bottom in the Isthmian League South East Division table with two wins and five draws collected from their 18 league games and are now without a win in nine games in all competitions following a 7-0 humiliating defeat at Sittingbourne last weekend.

The Rams are six points clear of the side rooted to the bottom of the table, East Grinstead Town, a side without a league win in any of their 14 league outings.

Visit Ramsgate’s website: www.ramsgate-fc.co.uk