Jake Embery says Steve Watt is the best man-manager he’s ever played for - and regrets not joining Hythe earlier.

Embery twice rejected moves to Reachfields before finally linking up with the club last summer.

The move has worked out a treat, with Embery’s fine form helping the Cannons make FA Trophy history while once again fighting for an Isthmian South East play-off place.

Embery’s had plenty of clubs - probably more than he’d like at 24 - having turned out for Sittingbourne, Herne Bay, Maidstone, Margate, Tonbridge, Carshalton, Faversham and Sheppey.

But he’s found a home at Hythe, scoring eight goals and laying on plenty more. Watt has been particularly impressed with his work rate - something he’s not always been associated with.

“I’ve always worked hard, I believe that in myself,” said Embery.

“But I think in recent years managers have not used that and not thought that of me.

“It’s been ‘Jake scores goals, get him up the pitch and do that’.

“But buying into Watty’s philosophy, it’s definitely helped and I think he’s got the best out of me.

“I’m working hard and just showing how much I want to be involved in the team.

“He’s the best man-manager I’ve ever worked with.

“He understands me and I understand the way he works and what he wants.

“I messed Watty around a little bit in the past.

“I’d be the first to admit that and I wish I hadn’t.

“Twice I could have come here and I turned it down and went elsewhere.

“Looking back now, I should have just come here in the first place.

“When I was initially coming down, they were a lot lower side.

“This season made sense. I’ve got a lot of my friends here and it was a no-brainer.

“Coming here pre-season, I enjoyed it. I was playing with a smile on my face.”

Watt was a big, tough, uncompromising defender in his playing days and can make himself heard on the touchline.

That perhaps leads to misconceptions of what the former Maidstone skipper is like to play for.

But Embery knows the reality and is enjoying his football like never before.

He said: “I was having a conversation with one of my pals who’s watched Maidstone since he was a kid and he was saying, ‘I bet it’s hard working with Watty, that big, loud voice screaming down’.

“And I was like, ‘No, it’s not like that’.

“I’ve not once had Watty scream at me.

“Defenders probably get a bit more because Watty was a defender as well but the perception people have of him is completely different to what he’s actually like.

“This is the most enjoyable time I’ve had in football.

“I enjoyed Herne Bay under my dad and Jermaine (Darlington) but this is completely different.

“This is competing at a higher standard, to win and achieve.

“When I was at Herne Bay it was enjoyable, I was with my friends, but I was very young and we weren’t a side that was competing to be anywhere. We were a mid-table side.

“Everyone wants to win in football, and do well, and we’ve got a little bit of that about us.”

Embery opened the scoring on Saturday as Hythe threatened an FA Trophy upset against National North Chorley.

But the visitors, 52 places above the Cannons, pinched a 2-1 win to reach the last 16.

“It was a good game,” said Embery. “We matched them. I felt we played well. We can hold our heads high. We’re back to the league now and we’ve got a lot of games to catch up on.”

Hythe are due at Lancing tonight and, having played only 15 league games, they face a lot of midweek matches.

But they’ve been there before and look how that turned out.

“I wasn’t here last year but they did the exact same thing and made the play-off final,” said Embery.

“We all believe we should be in there - we’ve got to go and show it now.

“We’ve got a lot of work to do but the goal is we should be in the play-offs and anything less would be disappointing.”