Fareham Town make high profile signing – former Portsmouth manager Graham Rix

Stiles acted quickly to snap up his one-time AFC Portchester colleague when he heard that Rix had left his role at Gosport Borough.

Stiles was reserve team boss at Portchester during Rix’s time as manager of the Wessex League club in the mid 2010s.

‘We’ve always kept in touch, we play golf, he’s a mate,’ said Stiles after appointing the one-time England international head coach at Cams Alders.

‘He will make a massive difference to us.

‘We’ve got some very good players, they just need to iron out a few little flaws - and Graham will spot those.

‘We’ve kept the nucleus of last season’s squad, and if Graham can help to make them better players then we will be a better team.

‘When I heard he was available I had no hesitation in bringing him in.’

Regarding new signings, Stiles added: ‘I’m quite pleased with what I’ve brought in so far, and there’s potentially a few more coming in. I’m not finished yet.

‘I’ve reflected on last season, I haven’t gone mad (with making new signings) but I felt there were a few areas we needed to strengthen.

‘I’m quite excited with what we’ve got. Disappointed to have missed out on a couple - one went to Portchester, one went to Moneyfields - but we can only go so far. It is what it is.’

New in at Cams Alders are goalkeeper Luke Deacon and centre half Saul Thorpe.

Deacon played five Southern League games for Sholing last season and will vie for the keeper’s jersey - a problem area for Stiles last season with injury and unavailability - with Henry Woodcock and Jon Webb.

Thorpe was part of the Preston and Blackpool youth systems before moving into the Navy. He has linked up with striker Stuart Morgan, one of his best friends, who scored eight times in 11 starts at Fareham last season.

The Reds had a strong Forces look about them at times in 2021/22 with defender Ross Kidson making 22 starts plus attacker Elliott Holmes and midfielder Dave Vincent also featuring.

Those three have now left, though, with Thorpe likely to replace Kidson in the centre of defence.

Stiles has fielded a handful of the club’s under-18s in pre-season games, with striker Marvin Rogers and wide midfielder Connor Underhill featuring regularly.

Underhill, just 16, made eight Hampshire Premier League starts for champions Colden Common last season, scoring three times.

The main summer departure from Cams has been defender Archie Wilcox, who scored 15 times last term - only Josh Benfield (16) netted more for the Reds.

Wilcox has joined Winchester City, who are preparing for their first season at Southern League Premier South level.

‘I’d rather have him than not have him,’ said Stiles, ‘but he’s gone to a higher division club so you don’t mind that.’

Another player who netted 15 times for the club last season, Gary Austin, has now ‘officially retired’. He is part of Stiles’ coaching staff, but still managed a friendly appearance recently.

Stiles was pleased with last night’s friendly display against a Littlehampton side who last season won the Southern Combination League and reached the FA Vase final.

An 85th minute leveller gave the Sussex club - who thrashed Fareham’s Wessex League rivals US Portsmouth 9-0 last week - a 2-2 draw.

‘We had the right attitude, the will to win,’ said Stiles. ‘We showed what we can do when we’re on it. We were 2-1 up and I made five changes, as you do. I was very pleased.’

Fareham’s opening Wessex League fixture is home to AFC Stoneham next Tuesday.