'I've got headaches' - Hythe Town boss Sam Denly previews new Isthmian South East season
Published: 06:00, 15 August 2019
Hythe Town manager Sam Denly has a welcome selection dilemma as he prepares for Saturday’s Isthmian South East opener against Burgess Hill Town.
The Cannons enter the campaign with a new-look squad after making a host of signings following the departure of several players earlier this summer.
Denly secured the signature of three more at the weekend following impressive trial periods to build on what has been a pleasing pre-season in his eyes.
“I’m happy with our squad,” said Denly.
“By and large it’s been a good pre-season, it’s been a good opportunity for the lads to play together and start gelling as a team because we’re a fairly new side with the players we’ve bought in.
“I’m happy with how it’s gone and I’m just looking forward to getting going now to be honest.
“I wouldn’t say we’re done, if a good player comes along that I think will improve the squad I’m always open to that, but we’ve certainly brought good players in and we’re strong squad wise.
“Stephen Okoh signed the forms on Saturday so he’s a new player coming in, he’s another good option attacking wise so we’ve got a lot of competition for shirts up there.
“We managed to get Callum Taylor done on Saturday after he came from Tonbridge, and Rhys Bartlett has come from Tonbridge.
“I’ve got headaches picking a squad let alone a starting eleven on Saturday.”
Hythe will be the first to come up against Burgess Hill following their relegation from the Isthmian Premier Division.
He added: “They’re going to be a good side, they’ve come down and they’ll have aspirations to get straight back up I’m sure.
“They’re always a good side and it’s always a difficult place to go, like I said last night there are no easy games in the league. We’re strong, we’re a good side and will go down there full of confidence.”
Denly’s men have set their sights on another push for promotion after finishing 11 points off the play-off spots in seventh last season.
“That’s got to be our ambition as a club, we’ve got to be in the play-offs,” he admitted.
“It’s going to be difficult, there are a lot of good sides in the league this year, so nobody has any god given right to finish in the top five.
“We’ll work hard, our objective is to finish off better than we did last year.”
Hythe will continue to monitor Adam Woollcott’s ankle injury and the dead leg sustained by Ryan Cooper in the 1-1 draw against Tilbury ahead of Saturday’s clash.
Read more: All the latest Kent sport news
More by this author
Cameron Hogwood