Andy Hessenthaler called time on Dover’s summer recruitment after former Gillingham team-mate Nicky Southall signed a one-year contract prior to last Saturday’s pre-season win over Wycombe.

Hessenthaler, Dover’s player-manager, declared: "I’m happy with what I’ve got. We retained 15 of last season’s squad and I’ve been able to add another five.

"With Nicky’s arrival, I’ve no more room for manoeuvre on my budget. The chairman, Jim Parmenter, has been brilliant and I’m happy with the squad."

Hessenthaler added: "We said from day one we would stick with the budget and we’ve been rigid.

"In the past, the chairman has dug deep to assist with loan signings in times of injury crisis. Hopefully, he won’t have to do that again."

Assessing his squad, Hessenthaler added: "It’s a tight-knit group and my job is to mould them into an effective unit capable of holding their own in Blue Square South."

Hessenthaler had been keen to add 37-year-old Southall’s experience to what is essentially a youthful squad. And he did not try to conceal his delight in finally bringing his old friend and business partner to Crabble after weeks of negotiations.

"Nicky is relieved that everything has been sorted, and so am I," he said.

"Apart from John Keister, we don’t have a great deal of experience to fall back on in a division that will be chock-full of experienced players."

With Matt Fish a long-term casualty because of a shoulder injury, Southall will start the season at right-back, although he
will move into midfield once Fish recovers.

"Nicky will bring a great deal of quality to midfield so maybe he’s wasted in the right-back slot," said Hessenthaler.