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Folkestone Invicta boss Neil Cugley reacts to winning the Ryman League Division 1 South championship

23:00, 25 March 2016

Things couldn't have gone much better for Folkestone boss Neil Cugley on Good Friday.

His side were promoted back to the Ryman League Premier Division as champions of Division 1 South after thrashing Walton & Hersham 6-0 at the Fullicks Stadium.

Invicta were cheered on by a Bank Holiday crowd of 1,545 as Cugley moved to within four games of 1,000 in charge of his hometown club.

Neil Cugley walks forward to receive his championship medal Picture: Gary Browne
Neil Cugley walks forward to receive his championship medal Picture: Gary Browne

He said: "Just look at the crowd, it’s a nice sunny day, the whole of that end is full up and they’re all clapping the players. That’s what you do the job for.

"I was born in Folkestone, watched them as a kid, played in the youth team, played in the first team as a centre-half and came back as a centre-forward, so the club does mean a lot to me. I know it’s a big club and on days like this, you realise how big it is.

"It feels tremendous, I can’t deny that. It’s been hard work the last few years but it’s all panned out superbly today for us."

Folkestone went top of the table in August and no-one was able to shift them.

Folkestone's players raise manager Neil Cugley aloft Picture: Gary Browne
Folkestone's players raise manager Neil Cugley aloft Picture: Gary Browne

Cugley said: "Making a good start was very important. When you’re always up there, it’s easier to do the team talk: 'Come on lads, we’re top, let’s stay top' and you’re throwing it down their throats a lot more.

"Once you’re top, you want to stay top and all credit to the players because that’s what they’ve done.

"We never had a bad run this year at all - that’s where they’ve been tremendous.

"We had a moan-up when we lost a game but we took it on board, put it right and did brilliantly."

Full promotion coverage in the Folkestone & Hythe Express on Wednesday.

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