All change at Locks Heath as former title-winning manager Dave Fuge aims to bring the good times back

Locks were bottom of the Hampshire Premier League top flight when the 2019/20 season was halted in mid-March.

They had only won three times in 24 matches and had gone through three managers.

But the FA’s subsequent null and voiding of step 7 football gave Locks a relegation reprieve and resulted in a summer of change.

Fuge, who guided Locks to the HPL title in 2012/13, was persuaded to return by chairman Alan Cooper.

He has brought with him a five-strong coaching team and has signed virtually a whole new squad ahead of this weekend’s opening pre-season friendly with Warsash.

And three of his new signings played under him at Locks in his first spell - striker Jordan Neal, midfielder Jimmy Cuthbert and defender Dave Dunkley.

Neal fired 28 goals as Locks romped to the title in 2012/13, losing only one game - and that was the very first match of the campaign.

Neal struck a further 34 goals - in just 37 games - when Locks finished runners-up to Baffins 12 months later.

All three players also appeared for US Portsmouth during Fuge’s three seasons in charge at the Victory Stadium, which included two fourth-placed Wessex Division 1 finishes.

Neal was at Wessex Leaguers Petersfield last season, but was mainly used as a sub - making only four starts but coming off the bench 19 times in league and cup action.

Ex-Gosport Borough pair Brad Stone and Jamie Hall have been recruited, along with former AFC Portchester player Simon Stone and Chay Dugan, who made 23 appearances for Infinity in 2019/20.

Goalkeeper Joe Hall - another one who played for USP under Fuge - is also new in.

Only a handful of players who were at Locks last season - the likes of Ryan Nowacki, Callum Brittan and Loz Wall - have survived Fuge’s squad revamp.

As well as bringing in players he has previously worked with, Fuge – who also led to Locks to a third place finish in the HPL in his first season, 2011/12 - has compiled a coaching team he is very familiar with.

Ex-Locks chairman Jon Whitfield is the assistant manager, Dave Hazelgrove the head coach, Chris Major and Adam Puckett are coaches, and Joe Newton is the goalkeeping coach.

All of them once played for Locks and all of them, with the exception of Newton, were friends with Fuge during their Brookfield School days.

The aim for the coming season - which begins at Fleetlands on September 2 - is simple. ‘We want to win the league again,’ stated Fuge.