Sheppey United have appointed a chief executive to oversee the running of the club.

Shelley Holtam will take charge at the Isthmian South East side after chairman Matthew Smith admitted he wasn’t able to give enough time to oversee the operations at Holm Park.

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Gary Seamark, who has had the role of co-chairman over the past two seasons, will stand down and focus solely on the youth set-up from this summer onwards.

Mr Smith said: “As anyone who knows me will testify my time is becoming increasingly less and less with my work becoming busier and busier and I simply do not have enough time to commit to the running of our great football club.

“I know people will think I am crazy but I actually feel guilty for not giving my all to the club and with this appointment I can rest easy that Shelley will take sole responsibility for the running of our great club reporting into me as chairman.

“Shelley was recommended to me and following various meetings I am extremely confident she has all the experience and qualities you’d look for in a football club chief executive, hence me appointing her on behalf of the board.”

Mrs Holtam, who was previously secretary at SCEFL side K Sports and is mum to Gillingham youth goalkeeper Taite Holtam, has already been to games to familiarise herself with the set-up.

She said: “It’s a real privilege to be appointed as chief executive and I am overwhelmed with the trust placed in me by Matt and his fellow directors of the football club.

“I’ve built up a relationship with Matt over the past few weeks and yes he is a control freak, so I am not in for any shocks there! I have already got to know a few of the committee/staff who help to run the club and I’m really impressed with the passion and ambition so many people show in operating the club on a day to day basis.

“I was actually shocked to understand the financials of this medium sized business and how the self-sufficient model works within the football club environment.

“Most importantly to me is that Sheppey United is an excellent community football club with an even greater potential to grow and develop within the Sheppey and Swale area for an all-round successful and affluent future. I also totally accept the responsibility that all this brings to me.

“Having responsibility for the long term vision whilst concentrating on the short term goals Matt has set me over the coming weeks and months feels me with excitement and I know that together as a club unified we can go on to push for the next step in the football clubs evolutionary journey.

“If my tenure can be half as successful as Matt’s before me I know I will have created another piece of history for this fantastic football club.”

Mr Smith added: “Shelley will have her finger firmly on the pulse of our entire club operations very shortly, looking at everything from players that come here daily for education through to how she/we can improve on everyone’s matchday experience.

“The role will be challenging for her and I hope like me you will provide her the time she needs as she is very well-respected individual in the Kent footballing circles and is fully aligned with the strategy and vision I have to keep driving the club going forward.

“This appointment shows just how much we want the professionalism of the club to improve and will add further strength to our structure as she inherits a superb executive committee, strong football management team and its staff as well as a great set of volunteers who are all important in the day to day operations of our fantastic football club.

“I’d like to take this opportunity to thank Gary (Seamark) who has been joint-chairman over the last two seasons. Gary, just like myself, is having issues with time commitment for the club with his job and by releasing the senior role he will be able to concentrate solely in conjunction with Shelley on our fantastic youth structure he has built up and the ongoing pathway to senior men's football for both boys and girls.”