Manager Nicky Southall has moved to end speculation linking him with a move from Whitstable Town to Maidstone United.

Nicky Southall is already planning for the new season at the Belmont, as the Whitstable Town boss already has his shopping list in mind, and has already added Jason Lillis to his coaching staff.

The appointment was announced perhaps earlier that he would have wanted to as Southall attempted to squash rumours that he himself would be leaving the Belmont during the summer. Rumours had been circulating that the former Gillingham star was about to join the coaching team at Maidstone United – a rumour that left Southall incensed.

He said, “It’s all total rubbish – you mustn’t listen to things like that – I’ve got to just focus on doing my job here. I’ve now brought Jason in as he’s done a tremendous job at Lordswood over the last three or four years, and I’m delighted to have him as part of the set up and part of my coaching staff for next season.”

“He’s a Gillingham boy like myself and he was a great striker in his day and hopefully the boys can learn something from him. He’s a good lad; has a lot of experience at this level and knows a lot of players… He’s come on board as he wants to step up to this level and I think the boys will take to him really well.”

“Hopefully we can get the players we want sorted out quickly for next season as I want my squad together early and do my shopping early so that we can start our pre-season early.”

Saturday’s 2-1 home defeat saw Hythe get two penalties – one which was scored and the second moments later which was saved, but it was the second award that upset the Whitstable boss.

Southall said, “I spoke to James Everitt and he said that he didn’t touch him – he dived – but every time that you try to go to ground or you stick out a leg inside the penalty area you’re asking for trouble and asking questions of the referee.”

“The keeper’s put his hands up as he’s messed up for the first one, but he redeemed himself with a great save for the second one, but that’s wasn’t what annoyed me most – they’ve had one shot in the whole of the second half and scored from it.”

“It was just like our game last week (at Burgess Hill), one shot first half, one goal, one shot second half, one goal! In between both boxes we’re as good as anyone in the League, but we are where we are in the League because we don’t finish teams off and we don’t do our jobs defensively in our box and that’s why we are where we are!”

The home side were level just before half time courtesy of Micheal Everitt’s thumping drive – a goal that lifted the home team.

Southall said, “Equalising when we did just before half time really buoyed the lads – it lifted them; it really did and I honestly thought that there was only going to be one winner, but it was the same old story and we didn’t take our chances.”

“If you don’t have the courage to shoot, you don’t buy a ticket and win the raffle. It may be the worst shot seen, but if it takes a strange bounce or a deflection or you miss the target who knows where the ball will go. But we’ve got to shoot in the first place. But it wasn’t to be as they broke down the other end and we didn’t do our jobs defensively and that really hurts!”

Southall went on, “We can create all the chances in their box, but if we don’t concentrate in our box we’re asking for trouble. Their right winger (Jake Hobbs) is one of their better players and put in the only decent cross in the whole game which we didn’t deal with and the captain (Dave Cook) has broke into the box and scored – so very disappointed in that respect!”

“I got annoyed with the players as it wasn’t as if we didn’t know where their threats would come from. I even asked them if I was wasting my time going around the County every Tuesday night watching our opponents. And when we concede goals like we did today, particularly the second one from players we know are going to be dangerous is really frustrating and annoying!”

“It was crazy as when the ball came in it was three against three and as much as we want to go down the other end and get the winner we’ve got to learn that when we’re 1-1 we’ll take the point rather than losing it. I was going to play myself today but woke up this morning with the flu, and if I had of been OK I’d been out there providing the experience and so maybe we wouldn’t have got caught like we did.”