No shortage of successors for Denly

By David Watters

There are no shortage of candidates to guide Herne Bay in Ryman South next season with an appointment expected within days.

Bay officials say they have started sifting through the applications of nearly 30 candidates who beat last Friday's deadline to name a successor to Sam Denly.

Denly stood down at Winch’s Field after four years at the helm at the end of the season and the club's committee have now drawn up a shortlist of nine candidates for their vacant post after meeting this week.

With interviews starting this weekend, Bay secretary John Bathurst told kentonline.co.uk on Thursday that they hope to make an announcement by the middle of next week.

Bathurst said: “We were pleasantly surprised by the response, and look forward to hearing what they have to say. Whoever is appointed will be working with a tight budget and looks set to have to create a new team.”

Denly announced in the final weeks of the season that he would be stepping down after his side's final fixture of the season at Whyteleafe, a 3-0 reverse.

The 33-year-old, who succeeded Simon Halsey in May 2013, kept Bay in the Ryman League in his first season in charge and guided them to top half finishes in each of the next two campaigns before the club's 17th placed finish to the 2016-17 campaign.

Image courtesy of www.hernebayfootballclub.co.uk

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