When Mick Jenkins and Andy Awford were appointed to lead the club into a new era, it looked like there were two of last season's squad left – and little sign of who else was going to make up the numbers.

But Jenkins, Awford, coach Darin Killpartrick and general manager Jack Pearce have spent the past ten days ringing round players and con- tacts.

And the result was that the first pre-season training session was attended by 26 players.

The line-up was thought to include striker Dan Beck, who did not fix himself up with another club like most of the squad after the Rocks said at the end of last season they did not know if they would be able to pay players any longer.

Defender Duncan Jupp and midfielder Scott Harris are the other pair to have stayed.

Potential new recruits are a mixture of youngsters released by professional and other non-league clubs, ex-professionals and non-league players out of contract at their previous clubs.

A number of local youngsters have also expressed an interest in trying to earn themselves a chance at Nyewood Lane.

Jenkins has gone back to two of his former clubs, Havant & Waterlooville and Dorchester, to try to nab players surplus to requirements.

The Rocks had midfielder Phil Warner on loan for the final month of last season, and he is one of a number of Hawks who have been rumoured to be in line for a switch to Nyewood Lane.

Justin Gregory, Tom Taylor and Michael McEnery are other Hawks being talked about by fans, who were also expecting to see one or two of the Lewes players who left the side promoted to the Conference when boss Steve King went recently.

Crawley and Carshalton are other clubs whose ex-players were at training.

Awford, Killpartrick and Pearce have been on the phone day and night to search for players – but Jenkins revealed it hadn't all been about the Rocks contacting players.

"We've had some ringing us too, which is very encouraging," he said.
"So far we've got 20-plus who were due to come to the first training session. There are a lot of young trailists.

"We've not actually signed anyone, although we have talked terms with one or two.

"There are players who have played at a good level of football and we need to go through and see who we want and what we can offer them.

"People must remember there's not suddenly a load of money for players. We have to be sensible.

"But at least there are good players showing they want to play for this club. That's a good start."

Get the Observer - out now - for all the latest on the Rocks and the rest of the local football scene