Sittingbourne’s rebuilding job is well ahead of schedule.

Fired up by the challenge after losing almost his entire squad, manager Nick Davis has 12 players signed on.

Full-backs Chris Elliott and Chris Webber are the latest additions to a list which includes keeper Daren Hawkes, centre-halves Laurence Ball and Ben Gorham and forwards Kane Rowland and Miles Cornwell.

Left-back Elliott finished last season at Herne Bay while Webber, who plays on the right, joins from Canterbury, where he was named supporters’ player-of-the-year.

Davis said: “Without a doubt, we’re ahead of where I thought we’d be.

“I’m quietly confident and pleasantly surprised with where we’re at.

“We’ve got a decent backbone of players and there’s room for a few more.

“I’m not normally one for going public on signings too early but naming Miles and Daren Hawkes when we did helped me sign three or four and then another couple on top of that.

“In a way, me and Tony Cornwell (assistant manager) are quite excited about going again with a brand-new side.

“Just imagine if we do well after everything that’s happened over the summer.

“The important thing now is to get minutes into these players in the friendlies so they gel as quickly as possible.”

Brickies started pre-season training on Saturday with Ball among those to impress.

Davis said: “Bally is a big plus - he was brilliant.

“He was talking to everyone and is that old-school player who sets a good example.

“You could see straight away how good he’ll be for us.

“He had a lot of clubs after him but we knew each other and always got on well when we played together at Ramsgate."