Last season, Chatham Town came within 90 minutes of a place in the National League. And as they prepare to start their new campaign with a trip to Lewes this weekend, manager/Chairman Kevin Hake is focused on unfinished business as the Chats look to go a step further and reach the next level for the very first time in the Club’s history. 

Speaking to KSN ahead of the kickoff this weekend, the Chats supremo told us, “Really pleased with the way that pre-season has gone. We’ve a few new faces coming in, and I have been pleased to see them do well, and we are all looking forward to the new season ahead.” 

“It is always hard to emulate what you achieved the previous year. We know that there will be a big target on our backs but there always is at this Football Club, so we are used to it. We always look at progression both on and off the field which I feel as though we have done, we have assembled a good squad.” 

“I do think the League has improved again and will be more open than last year, I do not think there will be any teams running away with it like Hornchurch did. There’s big money being spent across the division and as such I think it will be incredibly competitive.” 

When asked if he was surprised by the Clubs incredible 2023/2024, Hake admitted, “It did not really, just as it would not surprise me if we did not emulate the success this year. Its football after all.

“We have got a good set up here as we are always aiming and striving to push on and you just look at what we did last year. It is fine margins though as ten points less and you miss the play-offs, hopefully, we will not only replicate it but go one stage further this year.

“I think as we start any one of ten teams can get promoted this year so it could well be the most competitive ever. With Dover and Dartford both coming down to the division you could not have imagined five years ago that we would be facing them as they were in the National League, and we were in SCEFL. Now we are in the same division, and it really will be a pinch yourself moment!” 

“It highlights how far we have developed, and it is important that it is on and off the field. A lot of Clubs can do anything on the field, but they are nowhere near ready off it.

“But we have tried to make sure that we are ready, I think that we are ahead of schedule, and we want to kick on. Of course, it was disappointing not to go up last year people would ask if we were ready and I honestly say that we are and were, and we will be ready this year too if we are fortunate enough to get into the same position.” 

“We have made no bones about the fact that we want to be an EFL club people are bored of me saying that by now, but that is where we want to be, that is the ambition of the Club as we are building the infrastructure around it.

“Just look at teams like Bromley who have come through hopefully, we can follow a similar model and how they have progressed into the EFL and that is what we want to do.” 

The Chats start their campaign on Saturday at Lewes before a home game against Billericay Town next Tuesday, a side that Hake believes will be challenging.

“They are definitely one of the ten sides as they had a good side last year and I think that whilst they’ve lost a couple of players they have improved and recruited well so it will be tough as will Lewes away and the vast majority of the 42 League games that we have to play.” 

The game against Billericay on Tuesday at the Bauvill Stadium will be the first chance that Gillingham season ticket holders will have to get half price entry into Chats games under a scheme that the Club announced this week. Simply show your GFC season ticket at the Bauvill turnstiles to get the discount.