Chapman believes his Hillians squad will '˜just get better and better'

Ian Chapman believes the squad he has assembled for this season's Ryman Premier campaign will '˜just get better and better'.
BHTFC v Northampton. Ian Chapman. Pic Steve Robards, SR1516210 SUS-150713-124111001BHTFC v Northampton. Ian Chapman. Pic Steve Robards, SR1516210 SUS-150713-124111001
BHTFC v Northampton. Ian Chapman. Pic Steve Robards, SR1516210 SUS-150713-124111001

The Hillians’ poor finish to last season saw them end up in the relegation zone, but they managed to escape the drop thanks to Farnborough’s financial irregularities.

But the enthusiastic boss believes there will not be a repeat of those lacklustre performances at the end of last season.

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He told Middy Sport: “Last year I felt the players gave me everything for two or three years and they couldn’t give me no more. And that’s no disrespect to them, that’s just what happens sometimes.

“I feel the squad we have now will just get better and better.

“We have got young lads who are good athletes and hopefully we will get better and better as the season goes on.”

Burgess Hill kick-off their season as they did last year, away at Suffolk side Needham Market.

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Last season saw the Hillians win 2-1 thanks to goals from Joe Keehan and Pat Harding.

But Chapman knows it won’t be an easy trip for his side.

He said: “They are a decent side and they got better as the season went on.

“They started poorly, then went on a good run, then went poorly again, then finished the season well.

“They are like us, they will know more about the league this year.

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“Every game this year, and I have said this all along, will be a difficult game.

“Last year, in my head we wanted to stay up and rightly or wrongly we stayed up.

“This year we are desperate to break into the top 14.”

But Chapman thinks the season may take time to get going.

He said: “We will take a while to click because we’ve got six, seven or eight personnel changes at the club and that takes time to gel.

“You rarely get the chance to play your best team in pre-season because of availability.

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“This week Tuesday and Thursday we will be working on our shape and whatever happens Saturday we will be giving it our best shot.

“But I do think there will be more to come from us.”

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