Folkestone manager Neil Cugley is looking forward to Invicta’s first two pre-season friendlies after a positive start to pre-season with his new-look squad.

The new season begins with the Dave Williams Memorial game against Hythe at the Fullicks Stadium on Sunday (kick-off 2pm) and is followed swiftly after by Folkestone’s visit from Championship side Millwall.

Invicta’s former assistant manager and long-serving physio passed away in April, just three days after Folkestone secured their place in the newly-named Bostik Premier on the final day of last season.

Cugley, who had been close friends with Williams for more than 30 years, said: “We’re expecting a lot of people who wouldn’t normally come to our games to be there on Sunday with members of Dave’s family, a lot of his friends and a fair number of our old players coming along.

“It’ll be an emotional day for many of us, especially with a minute’s applause in Willo’s memory before kick-off but it should be a great occasion for a great guy.”

The club have printed 500 free matchday programmes – a special commemorative issue which will include a host of tributes to the club stalwart.

The day will also see former skipper Liam Friend and his long-standing defensive partner Frankie Chappell back at Cheriton Road to bid their farewells after agreeing moves to Margate and Lewes respectively. Cugley added: “We’ll probably do a couple of the presentations from last season at half-time with the rest after the game.

“Frank and Liam should be there and it gives everyone a chance to say goodbye to two real stalwarts of this club over the last decade.”

He added: “It’ll still be a proper game of football. It’s Hythe after all and our games against them will always have a competitive edge, whatever is at stake.”

Phil Starkey and Ronnie Dolan remain sidelined and Ian Draycott is unavailable but he is expected to feature in the Millwall game two days later.

Cugley added: “Training has gone well and we should have two defenders, a winger and a midfielder among the trialists taking part along with our new faces Ade Yusuff and Kieron McCann.

“We’ve already seen that those two have got real pace and along with the return of Scott Heard that’s something we’ve needed that we’re going to have a lot more of this coming season.”

Millwall’s visit on Tuesday (7.30pm) is part of the deal that took young striker Harry Smith to the New Den.