Boss: Worthing attacking options remain strong - despite key man's move to Hastings

He has been heartened by the number of players who have promised to be at pre-season training – with as many as 20 set to take part when proper sessions get under way.

The Rebels have lost Lloyd Dawes to Hastings but Hinshelwood said he still had six key men in attacking positions and it looked like most of the 2019-20 squad would be on board for another shot at Isthmian premier glory.

The club have tested socially distanced training with some of their coaches and 16 to 18-year-old players and it’s gone well.

Now the staff and first-team players are itching to get together and start a new campaign.

Players set to return to training are Aaron Relf, Aarran Racine, Ahmed Kamil, Alex Parsons, Alfie Young, Dajon Golding, Danny Barker, Darren Budd, Dylan Jelley, Fin Stevens, Jasper Pattenden, Jesse Starkey, Joel Colbran, Kieron Pamment, Marvin Armstrong, Ollie Pearce, Reece Meekums, Ricky Aguiar, Tom Chalaye and Tyrese Mthunzi.

The club said: “It is important to note that this this squad is only for pre-season training and may change before the 2020-21 season finally kicks off,”

Hinshelwood said he was sorry to see Dawes move to Hastings but was happy with how his line-up was shaping up.

A new keeper to replace Brighton loan star Carl Rushworth is a priority and the manager said another recruit from the Seagulls was a possibility.

He said: “We’ve had a lot of players saying they’re coming back, which is pleasing.

“We put on a good session with our education boys and the next step is to do something with the first team.

“There’s quite a lot of work going on at the ground so wqe may need to go somewhere else temporarily.

“The boys enjoy training and working hard and being part of what we’re trying to achieve, and it’s been hard not being able to get together.”

Worthing were seven points clear at the top of the Isthmian League with eight games to play when the 2019-20 was halted and subsequently written off.

Their dismay at being denied the chance of promotion to the National League has been heightened by news since that in all leagues above theirs, points per game and play-offs are being used to allow clubs to go up.

Hinshelwood said: “When we do eventually start, it will be about continuing to progress. We’ve done that year on year while I’ve been here. We want to do better than we did last year.”