Chatham boss Kevin Hake sees an exciting future for football fans across Medway.

While Hake’s team sit second in Isthmian South East there is now hope of their Football League neighbours Gillingham awakening from two decades of decline.

Gills packed Priestfield last Saturday as fans took advantage of £1 tickets but Chats pulled in a bumper crowd too on the same day, with over 700 watching their 2-2 draw against Three Bridges.

Crowds in excess of 1,000 have enjoyed football at Chatham’s Bauvill Stadium this season, watching a club with big ambitions of their own.

Hake sees plenty of room for both clubs to fulfil their potential.

He said: “A special mention must go to the fans. Sceptics said we wouldn’t get a big crowd as Gillingham were at home and they were doing a ‘pay what you want offer’ so to achieve this crowd was very pleasing.

“During my tenure, Gillingham and ourselves have always had a good relationship, and recently we have met with the Galinsons (Brad and Shannon, the Gills owners) and Paul Fisher (chief operating officer) about bettering those ties and working more together.

“The future for Medway football fans is very exciting and with nearly 300,000 residents there is a lot of room for these attendances only to rise.”

Chatham’s home fans have been spoilt in recent times and Saturday’s draw finally ended the club’s incredible winning streak in the league. It had been over a year since they dropped points at their own ground, winning all 12 games this season before last weekend.

The Chats hadn’t dropped a point in the league at home since losing to Glebe in October 2021. They won 18 of 19 home games to clinch promotion in the Southern Counties East. They won all 19 home league games in 2022 and ended up with a record of 24 consecutive wins at their Maidstone Road ground.

They looked on course to make it 25 last Saturday against Three Bridges, leading 2-0 with first-half goals from Daniel Thompson and Matt Bodkin, but two super strikes from Three Bridges’ Curtis Gayler levelled it up.

Chatham lost top spot in midweek to Ramsgate, who drew 1-1 at Beckenham.

Chatham trail Ramsgate by a point and are a point ahead of Beckenham, but have a game in hand on both clubs.

Hake said: “We are disappointed to not continue the winning run to 25 home league games won in a row but everything sadly has to come to an end sometime.

“It’s a record we are proud of and although we didn’t get the win like we wanted, we remain undefeated at home. Full credit to Three Bridges for sticking to the game-plan and I’ve got to admire the goals they scored on the day.

“We still find ourselves top with everything to play for. We continue to remain grounded and positive on how the season has gone for us.

“This promotion race will go down to the wire and with the added bonus of play-offs it remains an exciting season ahead for the fans.”