Margate manager Chris Kinnear says he always intended to stay on at Hartsdown Park - despite reports he was poised to depart to take over at Crawley Town.

Kinnear agreed a new three-year deal with Gate last week in the wake of newspaper claims linking him to the Reds' vacancy.

"I've been at Margate for seven years. We've had five changes of chairman and two takeover attempts, and we've gone weeks without getting paid," Kinnear told BBC Radio Kent.

Margate have been ground-sharing with their Conference neighbours Dover Athletic this season to allow Hartsdown to be brought up to League standard.

"I wasn't about to walk away and let them have that nice new ground and all the benefits of that," Kinnear added.

The manager said he felt there was a lot of potential at the club.

"We've also got some good young lads coming through and it's hard to go and leave all of that," he said.

"The directors and I get on very well. We're all very close and I think that has been the crux of it."

Gate chairman Jim Parmenter told his club's website: "The board are delighted that we have been able to agree terms with Chris.

"He has brought the team a long way and we are confident he is the man to take us into the Football League."

Kinnear took the Kent side into the Conference last season and the team now stand 15th, seven points above the relegation zone.

Meanwhile, Parmenter has confirmed the club's new stadium project, still at the paperwork stage, is on schedule.

He also said plans had been made to unveil the ground with a game against unnamed Premiership opposition on 15 July.