‘We haven’t got a huge budget to go around throwing telephone numbers to players – but we try to create a happy environment’ – Horndean boss Michael Birmingham

And he hopes his Deans squad are allowed to go quietly about their business in the Wessex League Premier Division again this term.

Sitting third and sixth respectively in each of the past two pandemic-shortened seasons, the Five Heads Park club were well placed to be in contention had either campaign ran its course.

But those finishes were no flash in the pan, with Birmingham guiding his side to a club record second in the 2018-19 season - albeit 31 points adrift of runaway champions Sholing - and fourth the year previous.

In fact, you have to trawl all the way back to 2014-15 to find a top six without Horndean in it - they were 11th that term.

However, Birmingham believes the s spotlight in the forthcoming campaign is much more likely to be shone at AFC Portchester, Baffins Milton Rovers and Moneyfields from the local area.

He is adamant target number one remains reaching the 35 points he believes will be enough to keep his side in the Wessex top flight. The bid to get those points starts at home to Alresford on Tuesday.

Birmingham said: 'I think us and Fareham Town, we’ll be the teams who everyone will expect to beat in the local area, Pete Stiles has done a great job and we do our thing very, very differently to others.

‘We’re very low key, we’re under the radar and it’s the way we want to be.

‘First thing, you’ve got to finish with 35 points to avoid relegation - that’s the first thing.

‘The second thing is you want to try to compete to be the highest placed local club, which with Baffins, AFC Portchester and Moneyfields is going to be a very, very tough task.

‘The next thing is, if you want to win the league, you’ve got to finish above Hamworthy and Portchester, so those are the three targets.

'First target, it’s survival, safety, second target you want to be up there competing as one of the highest placed local sides.

‘If you do that, finish above Portchester - and more importantly Hamworthy, with the manager and players they’ve got - you’ll win the league. Hamworthy are going to be the side to beat this year.

‘We haven’t got a huge budget to go around throwing telephone numbers to players but one thing we do is try to create a happy environment where people want to come and play for you.

'When they come and play for you, if they walk away with a smile on their face, happy days. As long as they report to training on a Tuesday and Thursday and report to the game on a Saturday, you’re doing your job.'

As well as assembling a squad capable of battling at the top end of the division in recent times, Horndean have also helped push players onto bigger things.

Both Sam Smart and Benny Read, who are now full-time at National League Eastleigh and National League South Hawks respectively, came through the Deans.

Meanwhile, Alfie Lis has moved to Bognor following a stint working under Birmingham while Tommy Leigh (Accrington) and brother Ashton (Bognor) have also benefited from the manager’s coaching skills.

Birmingham stressed helping and aiding careers of youngsters in the non-league game fill him with much more pride than parading on social media with countless trophies.

He said: 'That is one big selling point for us (player development).

‘We have got some youngsters who’ve come through, youngsters who move on, you look at Sam Smart, Benny Read, you’ve got the two Leigh brothers - Tommy started off with us he’s now a professional at Accrington Stanley, I had Tommy in the AFC Portchester youth team when I was there.

‘What we try to do is give these boys the opportunity - yeah, they might be able to go to earn a lot of money somewhere - but you’ve got to be in the shop window to get noticed.

'No-one can take it away from your CV, Benny Read, no-one can take that away from your CV, Sam Smart.

‘They’ve done well but you’ve also got to have the players who want to do it. It’s no good having these players who turn up, go through the motions and have a jolly up - they’ve got to want to do it as well.

‘If they want to be pushed then I’ll get excited, get the bit between my teeth and help push them on.'

And Birmingham’s words underline exactly why Hampshire Premier Leaguers Hayling United were keen for right wing-back Ben Metherall to join the Deans this summer.