I recently caught up with Littlehampton Town joint manager Mitch Hand to find out how plans for the new season are coming along both on and off the pitch, here’s what he had to say:
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TK: Mitch, how tough did you find last season and was it more of a battle than enjoyment?
MH: I genuinely enjoyed it to be honest! The season before was harder mentally because our campaign was over with 8 games to spare and we limped over the line. This time we actually got stronger towards the end of the season and stayed up fairly comfortably in the end.
Two 4-1 wins on the bounce against good sides was a perfect way to gear up for this coming season. I love being involved in games that feel like everything’s riding on them and for a large part of the year we were fighting for our lives, I learnt so much more about the boys.
TK: Did you alter your thinking much as to who you and George (Gaskin) needed to bring in this summer to push on further?
MH: We always knew this was going to be the season of change for us in a positive way. We’ve transitioned from our county league side now and it’s time to try and kick on.
The club’s made so many steps forward off the pitch so we need to keep progressing on the pitch now. We’ve retained good players, signed good players and there’s a really good feel about the place now. We’re ready to go!
TK: So far we’ve seen some experienced Isthmian League players come in with Rob O’Toole, Alex Laing and Charlie Pitcher arrive at The Sportsfield, are you both looking more towards this experience side and has it been easier to persuade them to sign?
MH: Experience at this level is what we’ve severely lacked, that and goals. I feel like we’ve solved both these problems with those boys. It wasn’t easy to persuade them as players of their quality are sought after by many but they see what we’re trying to do and want to be a part of it which is great. They’re not only good players but good people too.
TK: You touched on it above the progress being made off the pitch with the building works now finished around the changing room area and the magnificent new seated stand going up, does it make it an easier sell to players?
MH: It shows the players that we’re going in the right direction, not just those coming in now but the boys who have been loyal for years. It’s more them I want us to keep moving forwards for, players like Jordan Layton, Marshall Ball, Scott Kirkwood and Dave Herbert.
They’ve stuck with us through the thick and the thin times. It’s not about making us a club that people want to join, more stay and progress with us when they get here.
TK: Would the dream season be in or around the play-off conversation and a deep run in the FA Cup?
MH: You’ll know as well as me it’s hard enough to call a result on a Saturday afternoon in this division let alone predict a league table. You know what we’re like, we go to win every game so we’ll have a look where we are in December but I can guarantee we will be a lot more competitive that we were last year.
My thanks to Mitch for his time, and best wishes for the upcoming season.
