Steve Brown has asked Ebbsfleet supporters to show patience as he bids to get his squad ready for the new Conference South season.

Brown signed 11 players in his first 11 days as Fleet boss but new arrivals have since been harder to come by.

And with the focus in pre-season training firmly on fitness, there has been little opportunity for those players on contracts to develop on-field relationships.

Brown, appointed as Liam Daish’s successor by Ebbsfleet’s new Kuwaiti owners last month, said: “People do have to understand that we have taken on this football club from scratch. It is going to take a little while to gel.

“I’m forcing players to do things that they shouldn’t be doing at this stage of the season. We’re trying to fix that but it takes time.

“I’ve got to work on a couple of systems. You have to understand, in three sessions, we’ve just been working purely on fitness.

“I’ve got a lot of work to do on the system that I decide is best for this squad. I’ve got a lot of work to do on the back four, gelling together as a unit.”

Ebbsfleet host a Charlton Athletic XI at Stonebridge Road on Sunday, kick-off 3pm.