New Petersfield Town manager Connor Hoare has wasted no time putting his squad together for the 2023-24 season.

Hoare was skipper last season as the Rams won promotion from Division One of the Wessex League, beating New Milton Town in the play-off final.

Hoare has now stepped up to the managerial hot seat after co-managers Pat Suraci and Joe Lea left to take up the reigns at Southern League Premier South Division outfit Gosport Borough.

And the new gaffer has wasted little time getting a squad together for the step up to the Wessex League Premier Division.

Eight players are remaining at Love Lane, and two new additions have been confirmed.

Cam Smith, Nathan Primus, Marvin Orepo, Kieran Alcock, Christian Bennett, Matty Dougan, Ben Cooper and Ben Quick are all staying at Petersfield Town next season.

Central midfielder Ryan Smart has joined the club after playing for US Portsmouth in the 2021-22 season. Last season he was recovering from injury.

Striker Declan Seiden is also joining the Rams. His previous clubs include Moneyfields and Baffins Milton Rovers.

Hoare’s assistant manager Callum Glen will also form part of the playing squad next season.

Petersfield’s new manager is delighted with how the squad is coming together.

“I was always confident we would be able to keep a lot of the players,” he said.

“The standards Pat and Joe set in training last season were like a professional set-up, and I will be continuing that. The set-up is a big attraction for players.

“It’s also very pleasing to get in a couple of new additions to add to the squad.

“A lot of the teams in our league wanted to sign Callum, but we were able to offer him the assistant manager role as well as a playing role.”

Hoare is looking forward to his new role after stepping up to the managerial hot seat, and is promising an exciting style of football for Rams supporters to enjoy next season.

“I want the team to play possession-based, exciting, attacking football,” he said.

“It will be pretty similar to the style Pat and Joe had last year.

“As captain last year I was the link between the players and Pat and Joe, so I know how everything worked. I want to continue that exciting style of play.”

Hoare isn’t setting any targets for Petersfield’s first season back in the Premier Division.

“Targets can limit what you want to achieve,” he said. “I want us to concentrate on our performance levels and sticking to our philosophy. If we do that, the results will look after themselves.”