The dust has barely settled on their Isthmian North title success, but Brightlingsea Regent are wasting no time as they prepare for another historic campaign.

East Anglian Daily Times: Brightlingsea Regent chairman Terry Doherty (right) with captain Matt Cripps, after the Ryman North title was sealed.Brightlingsea Regent chairman Terry Doherty (right) with captain Matt Cripps, after the Ryman North title was sealed. (Image: Archant)

James Webster’s side took the North division by storm last season, winning the league by 12 points from their nearest challengers, Maldon & Tiptree Town, and will now compete in the Premier Division for the first-ever time.

With new challenges on the horizon against the likes of Leiston, Lowestoft Town and Needham Market, chairman Terry Doherty and his team are working hard on and off the pitch at North Road to ensure the success story continues.

“We are already doing some work on some extra covered terracing, that work started last season and was being undertaken regardless of whether we were promoted or not,” revealed Doherty.

“Those two extra areas should house around 75 spectators in each and we have finished the new turnstile block on the far side of the ground.

“To stay in the Premier Division, the league also requires us to put in another 100 covered seats and we have until March 31 to complete that job.

“That will cost us £22,000 and we are already looking into getting that done.”

On the playing side, Brightlingsea will be competing at Step Three level for the very first time and Doherty is confident that minor, rather than major surgery is all that is required to be carried out by Webster and his coaching staff.

“They are looking to add one or two players if they can, perhaps guys with experience of playing at our new level. That is what we have tended to do over the last three or four seasons as we have gone up through the divisions,” explained Doherty, who revealed the majority of last season’s squad will remain at North Road.

“Having said that we brought lads up from the Thurlow Nunn Division last season, the likes of Aaron Condon, Billy Hunt and Pip Boyland, and they showed their class at a higher level – I am sure we are good enough to compete.”

Doherty added: “The players at Premier Division level seem to be physically bigger and stronger and the teams seem to be more astute and direct.”