Eastbourne Borough ready for take-off – and are they one of FIVE National League South title contenders?

One year ago exactly, the Sports were launching their new season under new ownership, new management and with a brand new team. Putting aside their bewilderment, supporters were looking optimistically at the exciting prospects of promotion and beyond.

As it turned out, there was tension of the wrong sort – as Borough spent the second half of the season in a dogged escape from relegation, with National South status secured only 48 hours from the (very) final whistle.

And now, like the infamous line in that Ghostbusters scene at the annual Devonshire Park pantomime – “We’ll have to do it again then, won’t we?” Yes – but with a different punchline and, crucially, with different personnel.

Last summer, owner Simon Leslie had installed Mark Beard as manager, and had relied on advisers to assemble a completely new playing squad. Mark was, and is, a hard-working, intelligent and creative coach, but the new regime lacked infra-structure and the new squad lacked the calibre for a title-winning campaign.

How different Priory Lane looks now. An experienced and carefully recruited playing squad has ability, physique and purpose. As full-timers, they can learn daily from a brilliant manager. And Adam Murray – with the canny wisdom of Stuart Watkiss, his own former boss, at his elbow – has a proper support team to cover all bases.

Off the field, CEO Alan Williams is no longer fire-fighting but running a proper business with purpose. Owner Simon Leslie is irrepressible, and the fans are onside.

What now lies ahead? Read our separate Herald assessment of the National South runners and riders below, and it is clear that this new season will be no stroll in the park. Nor will any honours be won in the first three months, let alone the first three games. But the Gaffer and the squad are ready.

This Saturday (10th) the serious business starts. Borough welcome Chesham United – new to National South and, no doubt, full of momentum – to Priory Lane. The suspended pair of club captain Brad Barry and lightning attacker Yahya Bamba will be missing, but Murray has great options all over the pitch. Cabin crew, prepare for take-off. Passengers, fasten the seats-belts, and don’t undo them until next April.

RUNNERS & RIDERS – NATIONAL SOUTH

Runners and riders, as we always call this annual Herald feature: and we make you no promises. But here – for you to agree, disagree, discuss or simply chuckle – is the Eastbourne Herald breakdown of the new season’s National South.

August to April – and possibly beyond, if play-offs are needed. Forty-six league games and five thousand miles on the road. And 23 National South opponents with their own dreams and ambitions. Who will thrive, survive or deep-dive to the Isthmian League?

Let’s set a few benchmarks. First, ambitions. For literally a majority of clubs at Borough’s level, stability and survival – season on season – represent success. National South is a genuinely enjoyable place to play your football. Reasonable travelling, ever-improving facilities, friendly relationships, matches seldom segregated. Quietly ask the chairmen of of some clubs, and they’ll quietly respond – happy where we are, thanks.

Second, the one-stage rocket factor. Each season, a couple of clubs appear from nowhere. Maybe they acquire a big-bucks backer – and no, we don’t include Simon Leslie! – who either promises the earth but never pays up, or else gets bored and buys a racehorse instead. And presto, those clubs either plunge back down or, worse, they fold.

Third, the infra-structure. You don’t simply need a dozen exciting players, nor simply a canny manager who knows the territory. You need all the pieces to click into place, from the committee to the programme editor to the kitman to the supporter who’ll turn out at the last minute and fix the electrics. And, if you are aiming for the next level, you need a whole new layer of coaches and commercial managers and analysts.

And one final proviso. In these Herald pages, we don’t do what the trade calls “knocking copy”. We celebrate, with you readers, all that is good in our town and all that drives our town, and all that makes Eastbourne a better place. We’ll be thrilled to bits if Borough (and Town and United!) enjoy a great season, but everyone from (alphabetically) Aveley to Worthing will be welcomed at the Lane!

So, working upwards through the table…

Tail-enders: Welling United, Salisbury City, Enfield Town, Weymouth.

Welling have lived dangerously for most of the past decade – manager and ex-boxer Rod Stringer just kept them up but ambitions are limited. Enfield’s promotion squad has been decimated. Weymouth will depend on strong results at home. Salisbury City are sleeping giants but will find National South a notch higher in standard.

Just above the water-line: Chippenham Town, Hemel Hempsted Town, Weston-super-Mare, Chesham United.

Chippenham, cheerfully small-budget, will play to their strengths on their grass home pitch. Hemel manager, and buoyant character, Bobby Wilkinson, just kept them up last term, but heads will roll if the Tudors have a poor start. Weston have just announced big future plans, but only a strong home record will keep them up. Chesham enjoyed a super season 2023-24 but arrive as National South novices.

Safe in the middle: Tonbridge Angels, St Albans City, Hornchurch, Truro City, Slough Town, Worthing, Hampton & Richmond.

Readers may be surprised – and Worthing readers may be offended! – but I think last year’s Worthing were a “team of a generation” and this will be a season for the Rebels to re-group, and for admirable new manager Chris Agutter to “build his own team”. No disgrace in that. Tonbridge play solid no-nonsense football and manager Jay Saunders works the loan market expertly. St Albans City ought to be top half but there was a malaise about them last season, and they will be rebuilding. Hornchurch will be getting their bearings in a new division, and Truro City – now back at home across the Tamar – will be hard to beat. And Slough Town have stabilised under manager Scott Davies, one of the nicest guys in football. And Hampton and Richmond should be pretty secure in their legendary leafy suburb.

Chasing pack: Bath City, Aveley, Chelmsford City, Farnborough

Aveley were last season’s surprise package, playing the Effective Game rather than the Beautiful Game, but getting results. Bath City will be front-foot and hard to beat under experienced boss Jerry Gill, at their splendid old 1970s vintage Twerton Park ground. Chelmsford City have gone for seasons, if not decades, nudging promotion but falling in the play-offs. Their own fortress – with huge metal fences, athletics track and ruthless multi-ball system – is seldom breached, and the toughest place in National South to get a result. Oh, and never discount Farnborough, where Spencer Day always builds experienced sides on a modest budget.

Top Five: Boreham Wood, Dorking Wanderers, Maidstone United, Torquay United, Eastbourne Borough (in no particular order!)

By no coincidence, we arrive at the top with a clutch of full-time clubs. All will be well resourced and well prepared, and all will believe that this is their season. For the Stones, last season’s FA Cup heroes, success will depend on affable boss George Elokobi’s mix of change and continuity as he takes that squad forward. Marc White at Dorking has similar issues, and too much loyalty to his old guard might undermine the Wands. Torquay open a new chapter, with experienced people at the top, after last season’s turmoil off the pitch, but they’ll need to reshape quickly, and to know that nobody has a divine right to go to Chippenham on a muddy Tuesday night and win.

And then we have the Sports. Simon Leslie has described last season’s lurching adventure, as a dress rehearsal. This time, it is real. Adam Murray’s squad has depth, talent, physicality and team spirit. Seen up close, they are no prima donnas or freeloaders enjoying the healthy salaries. They are eager, buoyant and likeable young men – and they cannot wait for the season to start.