Scott Lindsey has been talking to KSN about his move from SCEFL to SKYBET League Two as he swapped the Towns of Chatham for Swindon, and just how tough the move actually was.

“It was without doubt the hardest decision in football that I’ve ever had to make,” Scott admitted. “Even though I was never going to turn Swindon’s offer down, it’s been bittersweet all the way through.”

“All my time at Chatham has been positive and I really enjoyed my time there; we had something special going with a really good dressing room; great backroom staff; everything about the job was great but the lure of a Football League club – and a big one in my opinion – to go and work full time in that sort of environment, it was too much for me.”

“There was no way that I could turn it down and it was really bitter-sweet, and it was hard to talk to the Chairman and tell him what I’d been offered.”

“It wasn’t something that I enjoyed doing as I really enjoyed my time at the club. It was a situation that I didn’t want to do, but I had to for the good of my career in terms of the level that I’m now working at, the players that I’ll be working with back in the Football League where I have spent most of my coaching career and I simply couldn’t turn it down.”

“But at the same time, it was bittersweet as I am looking forward to getting into my new role, but I also knew the role that I was leaving behind as well – it was a hard thing to do.”

Scott was full of praise for the club that he left behind and in particular Chats Chairman Kevin Hake. “Kevin is a really professional guy and the way he dealt with the situation was first class,” Scott told us.

“He was very happy for me yet very sad for the Football Club in the way that he knew he’d have to find a new manager. He understood that I couldn’t turn it down. He did admit to me that it would come one day, but he didn’t feel that it would happen as quickly as it did!”

“It was kind of a compliment to me which I am very grateful for – he really was very good throughout I do have to say!”

“I haven’t had a chance to personally say goodbye to the players at Chatham yet as it was so quick as within an hour of me speaking to Kevin, I was in the car heading to Swindon.”

“I haven’t seen any of the players but have spoken to them over the phone and sent text messages. When I do get a day off and get a chance to go back to see everyone, I will do for sure.”

Scott was in no doubt just what his former charges are capable of as the new season begins as he told us, “They still have got a good side and I’ve told the players that I’ve spoken to that they don’t need me and it’s down to them to do it!”

“They’re a good side and they know what they’re doing and I’m pretty confident that they will get promoted this time.”

“The warmth of the reaction of the fans to the news has touched me and they really have been a different class since I first came into the building.”

“They are a fantastic bunch and in the time that I was there, the numbers grew as well. More and more were coming through the turnstiles and now that I am one of them, I hope and pray that “we” get promoted because of them as they thoroughly deserve to see their club in a higher League – they’ve been fantastic and every single message that I’ve received since I left have been supportive; some really nice messages and some were really quite humbling… I’m really proud of my time at the club and I’m convinced that but for COVID we would have won promotion last season.”