PORTLAND United boss Dave Kiteley believes it would be "unjust" if the club did not promote from within next season.

The Blues experienced a tremendous campaign in 2006-07 with the first team finishing third in the Dorset Premier League and coming runners-up in the Dorset Premier League Cup, and the second-string winning the Dorset Reserve League.

Kiteley believes the strength-in-depth at the club is very encouraging and he is determined to blood more of the youngsters next season.

The islanders held their end-of-season presentation night at the Portland Heights Hotel and Kiteley said: "The evening went very well. Last season was a real bonus for the club after the couple of seasons before and there is a lot to feel encouraged about.

"Like the chairman Pete Turrell said, a few people were a bit miffed when we came out of the Wessex League but we are now building something for the future and looking at the bigger picture.

"We had some ups and downs last season. We had some fantastic results at home, beating Holt United twice and Westland Sports in the cup and then there were games like the defeat at Bournemouth Sports where we showed a bit of naivety. But the fact that the lads keep learning from their mistakes and have reacted so positively all of the time shows we have something good to build on.

"Take the Dorset Premier League Cup final. Although we lost the club was the winner that day. The way the players performed and conducted themselves and the amount of support we had was superb.

"After that we had what many people thought was a nothing game against Sturminster Newton United but that was a big one for me.

"Sturminster are a very experienced side that finished fifth in the league and we went out there with a totally different side to the one that played in the final and beat them 2-1 after going behind.

"The average age of the starting ten outfield players was 19 and that is why that performance was so good and it proved just how much depth there is at the club.

"That is why I don't feel like we have to go looking for lots of players this summer and it would be unjust on all the lads we have at the moment if we did.

"We may lose Ryan Middleton who could be going to America but apart from him everyone else seems happy to stay and we want to promote within.

"That is what we mean by the bigger picture. The one thing we will be looking for is younger players, who can fill the places in the reserves and have the potential to progress through to the firsts.

"We are all looking forward to next season already and our first pre-season training session will be on July 3 when all players will be welcome to come and have a go."

At the presentation evening, first-team skipper Andy Perkins won player of the year, Mike Wisden was nominated reserve-team player of the year, Adam Ansty claimed young player of the year, Matt White was the club's top scorer and physio Sarah McCann was named club person of the year.

Club secretary Alan Atkinson said: "We raised £195 for the club through a raffle, 80 people attended and a good night was had by all.

"Many thanks must go to the Portland Heights Hotel for providing the venue, meal and facilities, and to Teresa and my wife Marian who organised the event."