Following the 1986–87 promotion the club moved-up to the Southern Premier League – now sponsored by Beazer Homes. Manager Peter Sillett left for Poole Town immediately following the promotion and his assistant Nicky Sparks took up the reins for the following two seasons now playing at Folkestone. The 1989–90 season saw the team return to Ashford with the opening of the newly built Homelands facility. The stadium boasted a capacity of 3,300 with 500 seated. But it wasn't an auspicious inaugural season – the team, managed by former incumbent Chris Weller (Nicky Sparks had joined his former boss Peter Sillett now at Hastings), finished 19th of 22 teams and were relegated back to the Southern Division.