Chatham Town begin life back in the Isthmian League this Saturday but the club are hoping their stay will be short.

Promoted from the Southern Counties East Premier Division last season, ambitious chairman/manager Kevin Hake isn’t afraid of dreaming big. He wants Chats in the Football League.

They are four more promotions away from that dream but Hake sees no reason why they shouldn’t be thinking big at a club which is looking to grow on and off the pitch.

Hake, who has decided to remain in charge with Danny Kedwell in as his assistant manager this term, said: “It was five promotions for the big dream so we are one out of five, we will see, I am getting laughed at a little bit less now!

“If you haven’t got a dream then what’s the point of living?

“We are giving it our best shot and whether I am the bloke who completes the task, either as a manager or a chairman, we will wait and see but that is certainly the intention.”

Chats were runner-up to Sheppey in the SCEFL Premier Division last season, the two teams head and shoulders above the rest. Hake’s men scored 122 goals last season in 38 games and picked up 100 points.

The were relegated from Isthmian South in 2017. They start life back at that level with a trip to East Grinstead Town on Saturday.

“I am really looking forward to it,” Hake said.

“The club has needed to get promoted for the last four years, now we are there I am not saying the pressure is off but we are starting to get to the levels where we need to be at, fans need it, the stadium is way above this level and we just have to get the team to the same level as the stadium, which is hard if we keep improving it!

“We will be giving it our best shot, really going for it. I wouldn’t enter any league if I didn’t want to go for the title.

“For me, there is no such things as consolidation. It will be a learning curve, there is some lovely games in there, lots of derbies and it will be nice to bring some opposition teams to bring some atmosphere to the Bauvill which we probably haven’t had, we have only really had it with Sheppey and Tunbridge Wells really.

"We will be able to relish that with some really nice attendances and something for the players to play for. Hopefully we can see some bumper crowds here at the Bauvill.”

Chatham kicked off their season with a 2-1 win at Little Common in the extra preliminary round of the FA Cup on Sunday.

Hake’s men went 1-0 up after just five minutes when Prince Domafriyie headed home a cross from Josh Ogunseye but Little Common levelled it up just past the hour mark from a free-kick. Substitute Matt Bodkin tapped in the winner from an Ike Orji cross with two minutes left.

There was another new name on the teamsheet for the weekend match after Chats signed left-back Joey Taylor from Cray Wanderers. The Montserrat international - younger brother of professional footballer Lyle Taylor - has previously played for Sevenoaks Town and Hythe among other clubs and came through the youth team at Welling United.