Deal Town are back training in preparation for the 2023/24 Southern Counties East Premier Division season

Deal Town are back in training and manager Steve King hopes that a familiar group helps give them an edge.

King has kept the majority of the players together that finished third in the Southern Counties East Premier Division in 2022/23 so he heads into pre-season with a settled side and one he knows inside out.

The Hoops boss said: “For a lot of sides pre-season is about gelling new players and lots of sides have got new managers and things like that, but for us it is going to be about making sure we have the fitness levels where we want and work on some areas where we think we can improve from last year.

“It is nice knowing the group that you have got coming in and being ready to get down to work straight away.

“We finished last season strongly and we have kept the squad together and it is just [a case of] looking forward to getting back together as a group and getting down to work.

“We want to bring in three, maybe, before the season starts in areas we know we can strengthen but we have the luxury of not having to rush that, and making sure we get the right players in.

“Sometimes you have to wait a few weeks into pre-season.

“Players that maybe have gone into clubs at a higher level and then realise they may not get an opportunity there may suddenly become available.

“We are in quite a nice position where we haven’t had to go out and build a squad but we will be looking to add to it. We are happy with what we’ve got and if we have to start with what we’ve got, we know it is a very good group - but I imagine there will be at least two or three additions by the time we get going.”

Deal’s players were due in for their first day back in training yesterday (Tuesday) and again tomorrow (Thursday). It gives them a couple of