LYME Regis manager Gerard Hitchcock hailed a ‘new era’ for the club as the club’s promotion to the Devon & Exeter Premier Division was ratified at the league’s AGM.

The Seasiders finished third in Division One of the league last season to earn their reward and have also seen the reserves promoted to Division Four.

Hitchcock, who took over from interim-player manager Mark Bailey earlier this month after managing the reserves side for 11 years.

Hitchcock said: “I am very happy about that, very happy indeed. It is a new era for the club really, we have never played at that standard of football so it will be an interesting first season for me. It is a decent step up.

“Hopefully we can achieve as best we can in there, we are looking at some nice tasty derbies in there with Beer Albion, Seaton and Colyton have come up with us so we are looking forward to renewing old rivalries. It is hard to say it was a surprise but it was in terms of that the league have some strict criteria.

“Our pitch is not the biggest and that was one of their causes for worry.”

Hitchcock confirmed that the club are looking to widen the pitch and install new drainage at the end of this season coming.

Hitchcock said: “I think for us it was always going to be the pitch that was going to be the hold up for us.

“It is a welcome pleasure that it has all been ratified.”

Hitchcock was delighted as the reserves side’s promotion was confirmed as well, having managed the side last year, and it marks their third promotion in three years.

He said: “That was what we were pushing for, even before this opportunity came up that I would be taking the first team, was to make sure that we got the reserves up another league at all costs.”