Manager Steve King is backing local lad Jack Hanson to be a success at Deal.

Hanson has joined the Hoops after a trial, knowing regular football in Southern Counties East could be just what he needs.

He started last season in the Isthmian Premier with Cray Wanderers, making nine appearances, before signing for Ashford in Isthmian South East.

The midfielder was injured in his first game for the Nuts & Bolts and finished the campaign at Whitstable under Andy Drury.

He was invited along to Margate after Drury took the reins at Hartsdown Park but didn’t go back after the first session, instead going on trial at Deal.

“He’s a Deal boy, he lives in Deal, he was brought up there, I worked with him in youth football,” said Hoops boss King.

“He’s one of those who’s been around the Isthmian Premier in the last couple of years but he’s not strung together 20, 30, 40 games.

“We’ll give him the opportunity to settle down and I think he can have a good season here.

“Ability-wise, he’s very good, you don’t play in the Isthmian Premier without ability.

“He needed to get his fitness up and he’s getting there with that.

“He’s probably still got two weeks with us to get where he needs to be but he played 45 minutes against Dover last Tuesday and 60 minutes at Corinthian on Friday and did well.”

Deal beat neighbours Dover 1-0 before Connor Coyne’s hat-trick in a 3-3 draw at Corinthian.

It was Coyne’s first start in pre-season, following a knee injury, and he didn’t disappoint.

“Connor’s not had a huge amount of minutes before Friday,” said King.

“We were bedding Riley Alford in and Connor picked up a little knee injury at the start of pre-season, so the Corinthian game was his first start.

“Riley’s scored four goals in the games he’s played and for Connor to get a hat-trick in his first start showed how much the boys are pushing each other.

“It’s easy to have a little sulk if you haven’t been playing but I always say to players, make yourselves undroppable with your performances and a number of boys have done that.”

Deal have also signed defender Lewis Stevens, who was with Canterbury last season.

The 25-year-old plays at centre-half or right-back.

“I’ve known about him for a long time and he knows a lot of the boys in the squad,” said King.

“I’ve tried a couple of times before to get him in for pre-season but the timing hasn’t worked out.

“He’s come in this year and, to be honest, he’s even better than I thought he was. I always knew he was a good player but I’ve been really impressed with him.

“He’s done very well and the way we play suits him.”