I will only play in emergencies - O'Brien

Central defender Richard Avery; midfielder Matt Solly and prolific striker Lee Barnett will remain at the club, much to the delight of the newly appointed manager.

O'Brien, 32, in his first managerial job, having helped coach the side during their last 12 Ryman League Division One North games last season, told www.kentishfootball.co.uk this lunchtime that he is "over the moon" to keep the highly-rated trio.

"Three main players that are more than happy to tie up and give it another go for next season," he said.

"I'm really over the moon to be honest because I was there like a number two to Steve Binks and Steve Best and I've just got on with some coaching and done some team talks and this, that and another.

"For them to stay at the end of the season, "yes, you've got the job, we want to stay with you," was like a massive plus, especially the three of them are quality in their selves.

"I'm sure they could have gone onto other clubs, but they've given myself and Law (Watts) another season to get the best out of them so it's all good news."

O'Brien, who skippered Dartford to the Ryman League Division One North title just over 12 months ago, has appointed experienced defensive campaigner Law Watts, who featured in the same division for Thamesmead Town last season, as his assistant manager.

O'Brien is one of the youngest managers here in Kent and explained if the pair will take to the field next season.

"I think deep down, I sort of knew that the playing days were coming to an end," admitted O'Brien, an excellent stopper, who did all the hard graft in the middle of the park during his career, which included playing for Dulwich Hamlet, Tonbridge Angels and Dartford.

"I was always getting the best out of the managers and I was always looking to take little points out of managers. I was always making notes from the managers I was playing under because I hoped one day I wanted to be a manager myself.

"Thirty-two is young, they say you should play as long as you can, but the other side of the coin is not many clubs out there that would put the faith in a 32-year-old to manage a semi-professional side in Division One South, so it's a fantastic opportunity for both of us, myself and Law to give a real good account of ourselves."

When asked if the pair would don the boots next season, O'Brien replied, "Lew will definitely because he played over 42 games (for Thamesmead Town) last year.

"We're both going to keep ourselves fit, to the point that if need be if we've run out of our budget or if we have any suspensions we will definitely have to play, unfortunately for some.

"We're not looking at that, we're looking to be managers and getting the best out of the players we've got.

"I've never been keen on a player-manager type role, I don't think it's an easy position to do or fill. I'm going into it as a manager and Lew's going into it as an assistant.

"We are ticking over, let's hope we haven't got to play too many times!"

O'Brien, who lives in Tonbridge and works for the Football Association in their match officials department, revealed that like previous Chatham Town managers, he will be working with a tight playing budget.

"We've got massive Kent derbies so I will be knocking on the chairman's door and I will say "let's raise the ante a tiny little bit," said O'Brien.

"At this stage a lot of players have contacted us. All our mates are premier players and they're on wages that we can't even pay a third of. It's getting the best we can afford. Whatever happens money will come into it at some point.

"At this moment in time we're working with a tiny budget and we'll see how we get on with that.

"If we need to strengthen, the chairman will sit us down and see if we can do this and do that."

But Chatham's crowds at Maidstone Road will certainly increase, now that the club are playing in their rightful place - Ryman League Division One South.

Last year in Ryman One North, their only Kent derby was against Thamesmead Town, but now Chatham can now look forward to more lucrative tussles against Ashford Town, Folkestone Invicta, Ramsgate, Sittingbourne and Whitstable Town.

And O'Brien added, "We're going to go to better clubs, better grounds, better supported clubs. It's a better league with a lot more football being played in the South than there is in the North, that's not being disrespectful to the North, there's bugger named clubs historically in the South."

Visit Chatham Town's website: www.chathamtownfc.net