We are pleased to confirm that Jamie Coyle has agreed to become the first team manager at Whitstable and will take up his position once the current season has finished. Jamie will be supported by Matt Longhurst who is also joining us. The two have built a good working relationship from their time together at previous clubs and are keen to team up again for the project at Whitstable and are initially coming in on a two year deal. Long serving goalkeeper Dan Eason, who has this season moved into a coaching role, will also be staying at the club as part of the new management team. We believe that together they will be able to help us achieve our key objectives, which are to gain promotion back to the Isthmian League whilst also providing a pathway to senior football for the best of our talented young players progressing though our ever growing youth section.

We welcome Jamie and Matt to Whitstable and wish them both, along with Dan, every success in their new roles.

Jamie and Matt probably need little introduction, given their time and experiences in football, but below are some details of their football journeys to date.

Jamie Coyle
Jamie started his football career at the Crystal Palace Academy and then went on to have a successful career playing and coaching for over 23 years in non-league from Steps 1 to 5.

Jamie is a professional football coach with a UEFA ‘A’ Licence and has many years of experience in developing players at Football and Education Academies for clubs such as Gillingham, Dartford, Maidstone United, Welling United and Tonbridge Angels.

He started his non-league playing career at Gravesend and Northfleet (now Ebbsfleet United) where he gained his first promotion, winning the Ryman Premier Division. He then went on to play for Sittingbourne, Dulwich Hamlet and Dartford where he won two promotions into the National League South. He then moved to Welling United before becoming the player/assistant manager of Leatherhead, helping them to promotion. His next club was Maidstone United, where he signed as a player/coach and two promotions took them into the National League (Step 1). Jamie then went on to become player/manager at Welling United, then joint manager at Dartford were he narrowly missed out on the playoffs. Jamie next became assistant manager at Margate before signing for Ramsgate where he started as a player, but was subsequently given the job of manager. More recently, Jamie won the SCEFL Premier Division playing for Erith and Belvedere and this season has played for Glebe, helping them to reach the playoffs.

Jamie was selected to represent the England Veterans team in the Seniors World Cup last year when they were crowned 2023 World Cup Champions. He also works for the FA as a Coach Educator.

Matt Longhurst
Matt started out coaching youth teams at Phoenix Sports, Welling United and Dartford, around 20 years ago. His senior managerial career began at Slade Green, then he became the first team coach Chatham Town. He then enjoyed three successful seasons as manager of Corinthian where he finished in the top six each season, won the charity shield and reached three cup finals, as well as launching the careers of a number of young players. He next managed Erith and Belvedere and led them to the FA Vase quarter finals and the top three in the league as well as getting heavily involved with developing their youth pathways. Isthmian League managerial jobs followed at East Grinstead and Ramsgate, where he built a good young team and also took on a wider role at the club, helping to put in place links with their expanding youth section and community. Matt’s next role was assistant manager at Billericay prior to a brief spell at Burgess Hill, but he then returned to Erith and Belvedere as manager where he helped to secure promotion to the Isthmian League last season.

During the current season, Matt took up the position of director of football at Sheppey United, performing a number of roles at the club.

Matt has managed over 600 games at Step 4 and 5 and has a good record at all of his clubs in giving opportunities to young players and has seen several of these achieve moves to the football league. He is passionate about working with youth players, as well as building relationships between the club and their local community.