Chairman Gary Smart believes Faversham Town have been promoted as worthy champions.

Town secured the Southern Counties East League Premier Division title at the second attempt this season.

Smart pointed out the statistics show why Tommy Warrilow’s team fully deserve their title-winning status.

“It's been amazing,” said Smart. “Tommy, OB (No.2 Alex O’Brien) and (goalkeeping coach) Terry Sedge have done a great job as a management team.

“We’ve lost two league games all year, won the most games in the league, got the most goals and the least goals conceded so it just proves that we’re worthy of that title.

“We had a rocky patch in the middle of the season, but I think every team goes through that, and we came out of it stronger.

“We won nine and drew five of our last 14 games so that was, again, title-winning form.”

While the Lilywhites missed out on an immediate Isthmian League return last term, losing in the play-offs on penalties at home against Corinthian after a 2-2 draw in normal time, they stuck by many from that squad.

Smart said: “We’ve got the core players that we kept.

“There were eight or nine retained from last year. I think we had 13 that finished the season that we started with. That's a massive plus.

“I think the dressing room has been a lot better this year with the determination and the desire to get out of that league.

“Larkfield was a bit of a wake-up call when we lost 1-0.

"VCD (a 4-1 loss) was a complete car-crash for us where we missed loads of chances. People were getting sin-binned after coming on for a minute and it just wasn’t our day.

“I think the disappointment most of the season was we drew too many games where we could and should have won the league by a lot more.

“It's been a fantastic season for the club and, obviously, for the town. We’re getting a lot more fans.

"The gates have gone up to just under 500 now so the club is in a good place.”

Smart also praised current ground tenants Faversham Strike Force, who will move away from Salters Lane and link-up with Whitstable this summer, for their own Southern Counties East League Division 1 title victory.

They were dramatically crowned champions under manager Stuart Benfield as they came from behind to beat SC Thamesmead 2-1 last weekend.

“They do a great job, Faversham Strike Force, with local community football,” said Smart.

“They've done an absolutely outstanding job, winning it, especially when you've got Forest Hill getting SE Dons in and stuff like that. They've got some good teams, including Canterbury City, in there.

“To go and win it on the last day - and pretty much the last quarter of an hour of the season - is a credit to the boys. Stuart's done a great job and I wish him well in SCEFL Premier.

“It's a tough league and I hope that they can maintain the status in there.”

Faversham were held to a goalless weekend draw at sixth-placed Rusthall.