Rich Bessey targeting new regions for potential signings as Infinity prepare for Hampshire Premier League top flight return

But he will also be looking in different regions than before for players in a bid to return the club to the Wessex League.

Bessey lost just one of his 15 games last season, after replacing Wayne Grant, as Infinity won the HPL second tier title.

That was no real surprise as Infinity still boasted many of the players who had turned out for them in Wessex Division 1 in 2021/22.

Bessey could still call upon the likes of ex-Southampton striker Jamie White and players such as Liam Crook and Filippos Terzidis have appeared in the Southern League.

In recent times, the bulk of the Infinity squad have been based in and around the Southampton area. But with Infinity now playing in Sidlesham, Sussex, Bessey is aiming to alter the geographical balance.

Players from the Portsmouth, east Hampshire and west Sussex regions will be high on his agenda.

A newly-formed under-23 team will help to integrate new signings and boost the squad - there are six more league games in the HPL Senior than in Division 1.

‘Finding more Sussex-based players would be great,’ said Bessey.

‘If players from the Southampton area want to commit, that’s great.

‘I’d like to keep the core of last season’s squad and add a few more, mainly from the PO side.’

One of Bessey’s PO signings last term was teenage goalkeeper Sam Richards, from Moneyfields Reserves.

He impressed so much he was voted the manager’s player of the season, and was runner-up in the players’ player award.

‘I won’t be looking to replace Sam,’ said Bessey. ‘He’s our number one.’

The manager admits he could well lose some of his top players to higher division clubs.

‘We have some outstanding players - Filippos Terzidis and Jamie White could play in the Southern League.

‘Harry Osman scored over 20 goals last season, you could see someone thinking they could pay him £30 a week.

‘We don’t pay money. I don’t think clubs at Hampshire Premier League level should be paying money.

‘If you’re good enough to be paid to play, you should be playing at a higher level anyway.’

The HPL top flight has seen some very strong teams in recent years - including Baffins Milton Rovers, Bush Hill and Colden Common, plus Infinity themselves.

Bessey doesn’t see any such quality in the 2023/24 Senior Division.

‘I don’t fear anyone,’ he said.

‘When I was at Fleetlands you had Bush Hill, you had Infinity, you had Paulsgrove. Before that, you had Otterbourne and Baffins.

‘I don’t see an obvious favourite (for next season).

‘Top five would be the club’s aim, but on an individual level I want to get promoted.’

Bessey has appointed former Harvest boss Wayne Lawton as part of his management team following the latter’s departure from Harvest.

Lawton will also run the under-23s alongside Gareth Spicer, who Bessey knows from his work with the Friends Fighting Cancer charity.

Spicer will also form part of the first team management team, taking up a role yet to be confirmed.

Phil Benfield is remaining as Bessey’s assistant manager.