‘Wessex League was a better level than I gave it credit for - it was a big learning curve for me in terms of player commitment, referees, it was  an eye-opener' – Baffins Milton Rovers boss Shaun Wilkinson

The Rovers boss has brought in experienced heads Lee Molyneaux, Alex Przespolewski and Ed Sanders along with exciting young prospects Oscar Johnston, Harry Sargeant and goalkeeper Konrad Szymaniak in the close season.

Although admitting the loss of captain Zak Sharp (AFC Portchester) and goalkeeper Charlie Searle to National League South Hawks were big blows, Wilkinson says everyone else he wanted to keep has remained.

The former Brighton and Hawks midfielder acknowledged he underestimated the standard in the Wessex League after taking on the Baffins job last summer.

But after what he saw as an 'eye-opening' experience in a shortened 2020-21 campaign, he is now relishing unleashing his new-look squad on the division – starting with the short trip to Cams Alders to face Fareham Town in Tuesday’s curtain-raiser.

Wilkinson said: 'We’ve got some real good talented players, obviously Tommy Scutt, Oscar Johnston, James Cowan, Miles Everett, Callum Dart, Fuzz Kanjanda, Charlie Williamson, these are players who could step up one or two levels with ease on ability - they’re at this level for a reason.

‘We’re just hoping our experienced lads can help them out on the pitch to achieve some of the potential they’ve got - hopefully that’ll be done with Baffins, but as we’ve seen with Charlie Searle we want our players to progress onto bigger and better things.

‘I think we’ve got the best squad that the club has ever seen now - same with the coaching staff.

‘We’ve got some real good people behind the scenes, assistant manager Danny Thompson, coach Mat Jones, obviously we’ve got Lee Moyneaux now out on the pitch - we’ve got managers and assistant managers all over the club, so it’s good people around the football club.

‘We’ve brought in Jack Plummer as a strength and conditioning coach and we’ve brought in Alex Hards as goalkeeper coach, so we’re trying to do things the right way.

‘I try to run things as professionally as I can for the level we’re at and, to be fair, the lads are buying into it. They seem to be enjoying their football at the minute.

‘It was a better level than I gave it credit for (Wessex League).

‘Obviously it was a big learning curve for me in terms of player commitment, referees at this level, it was a bit of an eye-opener.'

Baffins were sitting 12th when the Wessex League Premier Division campaign was curtailed last year.

Wilkinson at least wants to see an improvement on that - but believes breaking into the top six could prove a tough ask in what he feels will be an immensely competitive division.

He said: ‘I look at the league, there are 10 or so teams who could break into that top six.

‘It’s probably the strongest the Wessex League has been for a very long time this season.

‘We’re just looking to improve on how we were last year and see where it takes us.

‘A good start is important, we haven’t got the easiest of starts, we’ve got three away games to start with.

'We go to Fareham, who in my opinion were one of the best teams in the league last year, Tadley Calleva away in the FA Cup, Bournemouth away in the league, then Moneyfields at home - we’ve got a real tough start.

'If we can come out of those games with some positive results then it’ll breed confidence into the lads.'