Hastings United boss Bloor: We want to be entertainers as well as winners

United kick off their third at step three since promotion in 2022 with new boss Bloor happy with the squad – a mix of players from last season’s side that he inherited and some new additions. And he wants ‘the best’ fans in East Susse to be entertained.

Speaking after last Saturday’s 2-1 friendly win over Southampton U18s, he told the United media: "We want to play on the front foot, we want to create chances, we’ve got good attacking players – we’ve got arguably the best striker in the league in my opinion in Davide Rodari.

"We want to utlilise what we’ve got and want fans to be entertained. It’s an entertainment business. They want to come to the Pilot Field, be entertained, and hopefully we’ll win games of football.

Bloor said he was delighted to retain 12 key players from last season and added: “We’ve brought five or six in and it’s certainly a squad we can go to work with.”

Bloor believes United’s supporters will have a big part to play again as the season gets under way.

"The Hastings fans are renowned for being the best in East Sussex, aren’t they?” he said.

"It’s a big fan-base and they really get behind the boys. They’re going to be crucial this season and, I know it’s a cliche, but they can really be that 12th man."

The manager said of the win over Southampton: “It’s a good habit to win games of football. But as we know, it counts for very little. It’s the real action on Saturday

"We’ve had Horsham watched, we know all about them, they’ll be one of the favourites to win this league.

"They’ve got some really good players – players who have played for me in the past like James Hammond. It will be a tough game but we’re looking forward to it."

Hastings have retained Jamal Lubanga, Freddie Legg, Finley Chapman, Joe Clifford, Kian Moynes, Tommy Fagg, Charlie Grainger, Sam Cruttwell, Jack Dixon, Sam Okoye, Rodari and club captain Adam Lovatt and signed Tyrone Mlotshwa, Tom Howard, Callum Pollitt, Tyrese Briscoe and – most eye-catchingly – young Arsenal forward Billy Vigar.