Excitement builds as Hucknall Town squad takes shape under new manager

Defeat in last season's play-off semi-finals saw boss Andy Grave leave after nine years in the hot seat and replaced by reserve team boss Ingle, who said: “The staff are excited and the players seem pumped up for it. It is just a matter of doing the business on the pitch.

“I can't stress how excited everyone is and I just hope the lads can take that put onto the pitch and we can deliver a bit better this year.”

On recruitment, he said: “I can't put names to anything for various reasons at the moment, but I can say we have retained pretty much most of last season's squad. We have one or two things to finalise this week.

“There are one or two changes but nothing so significant that it will disrupt us.

“We have brought in some additional midfield players and we are looking at defenders.

“We have also brought in a couple of extra strikers and we have let one go on footballing reasons, nothing else. He is just not going to suit the way we're going to play.

“It didn't make sense to keep him on when he'd just be sitting on the bench and if we brought him on we'd have to change everything for just one person.”

Ingle added: “We started pre-season last Saturday and I was very pleased to see certain things happening straight away. It was almost like they'd never been away

“We are going to play a bit more open and attacking football. We will play a bit quicker and off the front foot.

“I also observed last season we had players probably not playing in positions in which we'd get a better percentage out of them workrate-wise or going forward especially.

“We have already made a subtle change to where two of them are playing and that will be significant in the way we play. They have already gelled. It's not rocket science. It's just getting the right players in the right places.

“I have also started a rebuild programme, bringing in some younger players that are of a very good quality.

“They have played at this level before for other clubs. I have had a lot to do with them at U21 levels I worked with when I was at the academy at Eastwood. They will bolster the side and I am thinking of the future as well.”

Hucknall will also be moving into their new ground opposite their current home next season, that is expected to be in September, and they have also been told their first game will be away when fixtures are announced.

The Yellows' first friendly is on Wednesday, 6th July at Ingle's former club Eastwood CFC.