Reece Prestedge retains Margate managerial role alongside Ben Greenhalgh

MARGATE have confirmed that Reece Prestedge remains their first-team manager next season.

Prestedge, 37, will be assisted by current assistant manager Ben Greenhalgh, as well as first-team coach Elliot Leveson.

Prestedge and Greenhalgh took charge after the departure of Andy Drury in December and have played their part in the club retaining their Isthmian League Premier Division status.

Margate welcome Thanet rivals Ramsgate to Hartsdown Park to contest the Kent Senior Cup Semi-Final on Tuesday 18 April, with the winners playing Chatham Town or Welling United in the Final at Gillingham’s Priestfield Stadium.

“Reece and Ben deserve this chance to manage this football club long-term,” said Margate director Dan Winsbury in a statement.

“They have both worked tirelessly to ensure we stay in this division, which we have now achieved.

“They have also improved the dressing room atmosphere and shown competence in their recruitment so far.

“We as a board of directors look forward to seeing them progress the club further and us continuing to improve both on and off the pitch.”

Margate lost 1-0 at home to local rivals Folkestone Invicta at Hartsdown Park today and sit in seventeenth-place in the table with 44 points (11 wins, 11 draws and 18 defeats) from their 40 league outings.

Margate are five points clear of Kingstonian, while the relegation zone contains Bowers & Pitsea (33 points), Herne Bay (33), while Corinthian-Casuals (36) and Brightlingsea Regent (21) have been relegated.

Retired midfielder Prestedge has been in charge for 22 games in all competitions and Margate have won six, drawn six and lost 10 of those games.

Margate complete their league campaign with a trip to Billericay Town (15 April) before welcoming Potters Bar Town to Hartsdown Park (22 April).

Prestedge played for Bishop's Stortford, Dagenham & Redbridge, Cheshunt, Hornchurch, Bromley, Chelmsford City, Maidstone United, Hemel Hempstead Town, East Thurrock United, Welling United, Margate and Braintree Town.

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