Outgoing boss Kevin Watson has a message for Herne Bay’s fans: You’re the best I’ve worked with as a non-league manager.

Watson stood down before Bay’s final match of their inaugural Isthmian Premier season, which ended in relegation, as they signed off with a 5-0 loss to champions Bishop’s Stortford on Saturday.

There has been plenty of off-the-field matters to deal with amid their battle to survive - Stuart Fitchie standing down as chairman last month while Watson recently revealed players had gone weeks without their wages and Bay also briefly were under a transfer embargo - as they came up six points short of fifth-bottom Kingstonian.

Watson hopes his other former clubs don’t take his comment the wrong way. But he has been humbled by the backing he and his players have been given from supporters amid some tough times.

He said: “In my time as a manager in non-league football, this is - by far - the most supportive and honest fanbase that I’ve worked with.

“That’s not to discredit others that I’ve worked with. The way in which they support the club, with the endless positivity and regard for what we’re doing, is great.

“They are very aware of the circumstances which came out more recently and they’re thanking the players and us [at the end of the season] for our efforts.

“Not many fans - at any level - accept that and look at it with that sort of lens. We’re very thankful to them and we have connected with them over time.

“I appreciate at times I’m not the most emotional character in the world. When things are going well, I don’t get carried away, when things aren’t going well, I try to stay level-headed.

“People can misread those character traits as maybe a lack of passion. Absolutely not.

“The fanbase has been incredible.”

With the title already wrapped up, Bishop’s Stortford showed their quality against Bay, as they put on a show in the April sunshine at Winch’s Field on an historic day for them.

Gracious Watson noted: “At any level, anybody that wins a league deserves to do so.

“They’re a good team. They’re extremely experienced. When I watched them before we played them [earlier in the season] - against Cray Wanderers I think it was - it was apparent they don’t have many weaknesses. They’re experienced, they know their jobs and they carry it out well.

“You only have to see today the substitutes that they have brought on from their squad, they’re really experienced at this level and the level above.

“They have got their depth and, no doubt next season, they’ll continue their progress and be competitive at Step 2.”

Herne Bay’s battle against relegation hasn’t been helped by a range of injuries.

Adding to skipper Laurence Harvey, on-loan Hastings defender Finn O’Mara and forwards Kymani Thomas and Rory Smith already sidelined, Connor Dymond has been suffering with kidney stones, while fellow midfielders Hamilton Antonio and Jack Sammoutis also were injured.

It meant makeshift Bay had left-footed centre-back Dan Johnson playing on the other side at the heart of defence, partnered by left-back Jack Parter, with young midfielder Monty Saunders given a start - at left-back.

Asked if injuries had really caught up with his squad during their season run-in, Watson replied: “Yeah.

“Connor, he’s had kidney stones this week and he’s on medication for that.

“Hamilton has got an injury and, obviously there’s the others that you know about, so it’s been one of those where we’re left, piecing the team together.

“Having said that, I thought Jack Parter was brilliant in that position. Monty Saunders, he got man-of-the-match, and I thought he was brilliant. Young Ted [Teddy Isaacs] came on, as well, so that’s a nice aspect.

“Monty has been very patient so, for him to play the final game of the season, that was nice because Jack Sammoutis has got an injury.

“Having said that, there were spells in the game where we moved the ball well. I just felt, in the final third, we lacked creativity and some quality, really. But I look at it from that sense - they might say they’ve defended those situations quite well.

“But we have conceded five goals and our Achilles heel this season - which we’ve recognised - is defending balls in the box from deliveries and set-pieces. They scored a couple like that today. But it’s probably better to reflect positively.

“Like I’ve said in various statements, I’ve got a lot of time for those players in there.

“Myself and Adam [Flanagan, Watson’s assistant] have made ourselves available beyond today, at any point in their careers, or lives, to help them in any aspect we can.”

Mr Fitchie’s replacement has been appointed but may not yet be revealed for a while due to some technicalities.

It’s understood, however, the new-look committee are already working hard behind the scenes ahead of their 2023/24 Isthmian South East return.