A handful of players will be trying to earn a deal at Hythe Town when pre-season football starts this weekend.

Clive Cook takes his side to Bearsted, of the Southern Counties East League Premier Division, on Saturday for the first friendly match of the summer.

The manager has already added six players to the squad which reached the Ryman League Division 1 South play-offs last season and now trialists have the chance to impress.

Cook said: "I’ve got two or three who are trying to get some sort of deal.

"I’ve said ‘there’s no deal yet until I see what you can do’ as in the match, their temperament and how they fit in with the squad, that type of thing.

"I can’t say who they are because as soon as it comes out, everyone will be sniffing around them.

"What happens then is they’ll offer them a deal.

"The boys I’ve brought in, I was very happy with how they trained, how they’ve performed so far and how they’ve gelled with the squad. It’s early doors but we’re up and running."

Hythe’s players trained last night (Tuesday) and they face another session tomorrow before the Bearsted match.

Cook said: "The first couple (of games) are just fitness, getting 45 minutes for each player to start with and you build on it.

"It’s all about fitness with the ball and game time. Whatever you do in pre-season training, there’s nothing better than playing to get match fitness."

Read the full story in the Folkestone & Hythe Express.