Dover Athletic boss Andy Hessenthaler accepts there is pressure back on him to get results as Whites prepare for life in National League South

Manager Andy Hessenthaler accepts there is pressure back on him to perform as Dover prepare for life in National League South.

Whites endured a tough 2021/22 season which saw them finish bottom of the National League, although they were always up against it after a 12-point deduction.

Nevertheless, Dover still only managed two wins all season and Hessenthaler knows fans will expect better during their 2022/23 campaign.

He said: “Listen, there is a bit of pressure now. Probably the pressure was off a little bit, there wasn’t much pressure on us.

“But next year, listen, like the chairman [Jim Parmenter] said - and I’m not silly - we’ve got to win games of football. We can’t have another season like we had.

“There are no excuses next year. The budget will be competitive but it won’t be the biggest in the league. Generally, if you have money, you get the best players in any leagues.

“We will just work the budget with a few younger ones, try and get the blend right, and go again.”

Hessenthaler also hopes to have learnt from a difficult 12 months and admits recruitment this summer will be vital with plenty of changes in personnel expected.

He said: “The top managers go through really tough times, don’t they? I think, in normal circumstances, everybody knows I wouldn’t have been here.

“Even if we had started on zero points, it would have been tough with all the budget cuts and the chairman knows that. But we are in a league that we can compete in next year.

“But yes, I think you do [learn from tough experiences]. Obviously recruitment is key and that’s down to me.

“Was the recruitment right? Probably not. Not all of them, no.

"But not every player is going to work and you’re going to get injuries sometimes and, unfortunately,