Joint manager Ady Gallagher is thrilled Lowestoft Town will get the chance to play at a higher level for the first time in its history. Having dominated the Ridgeons League this season - picking up the Suffolk Premier Cup along the way - the club now have the perfect opportunity to lift its head above the parapet into Ryman League football.

Joint manager Ady Gallagher is thrilled Lowestoft Town will get the chance to play at a higher level for the first time in its history.

Having dominated the Ridgeons League this season - picking up the Suffolk Premier Cup along the way - the club now have the perfect opportunity to lift its head above the parapet into Ryman League football.

The Football Association could have elected to put Lowestoft into the Southern League - something that would have cost the club far more in travel and organisation.

Instead, the Ryman League awaits as Lowestoft wave goodbye to teams like Kirkley & Pakefield, Leiston and Dereham, and welcome Concord Rangers, Enfield and Maldon.

“The worst thing for us was the thought we'd be pushed into a division that financially we couldn't sustain, and being one of the outposts of the league - all leagues - we were at other people's mercy,” said Gallagher. “So I'm thrilled a club like us, a good club and a competitive club, has been given the opportunity to move on and join other competitive clubs, and join at a sensible step.”

Town chairman Gary Keyzor has made it a personal mission to help Lowestoft better itself since coming on board in October. But anyone would be wrong to assume the Trawlerboys plan on settling on promotion to the Ryman League.

“We've said all along that once we make the step up the club should be ambitious enough to go for it and go further, and the chairman has understood that,” said Gallagher. “He's looked at other clubs, like Histon, and we need to use clubs like that. With the support we get, who's to say that we shouldn't continue to improve and get better. What is important is we should not go up and just rest on our laurels, but try to progress and push through as many leagues as we can.”