Herne Bay head into pre-season training settled under manager Steve Lovell a year on from a squad rebuild

Herne Bay boss Steve Lovell’s phone has been red hot this summer.

The Bay players are back in training this weekend and Lovell hasn’t been short of options as he looks at filling a few gaps in his squad.

“It has been quite settled this summer,” said Lovell, who had to start from scratch a year ago.

“We still talk to players and there are players getting in contact with us to see if we would like them.

“It has been amazing, really, the amount of players who have rung us and asked us rather than us asking them.

“It has been really encouraging. Obviously, there are only so many you can invite in for trials, but everyone who comes will be given a fair chance.

“We are being honest, you might have to turn around and say ‘Sorry, we have players in that position’ and if we haven’t and I feel the player could give us value then we will invite them in.

“I don’t want hundreds of bodies turning up just for the sake of it.

“I think that spoils the training, the quality of the sessions and it stops them boys from playing at a level they should be playing.

“We have eight pre-season friendlies so loads of time to look at players and even the ones who come back, they have to come back and prove their right to play.

“There will be competition everywhere and I think that is a big thing for us, having that little bit more competition this year.

“Last year a squad was put together and week in, week out the team picked itself, especially at the start.

“Going into the new season there will be a lot more competition, especially in pre-season where players have to prove their worth.”

The first of Bay’s summer friendlies takes place next Saturday at home to Southern Counties East Premier Division side Hollands & Blair.

Lovell believes the club