New boss Mick Sullivan reckons the buzz is back at Leatherhead, less than a month after he took over.

Having endured a turbulent campaign last time out, which saw three managerial changes and a disappointing finish in the lower half of the Ryman Division One South, the Tanners were crying out for some stability.

And Sullivan insists he will be the man to provide it.

He said: “I have had a couple of training sessions at the club and already the place feels buoyant.

“I put out the feelers for players to come along if they were interested in joining and 75 turned up for the first session, which caught me by surprise.

“I think we can safely say that there is not 75 quality players, but just the fact that they turned up says the message is getting through.

“Speaking to the players here from last year everybody is really up for the season, and most of them cannot believe how things seem to have changed for the better in such a short time.”

The former Merstham boss wasted little time in tempting some of his former cohorts to Fetcham Grove, drafting in midfielders Mark Simmonds and Michael Morgan, defender Chris Boulter and striker Kwebana Agyei, along with former Walton Casuals keeper Craig Bradshaw.

And Sullivan is eager to get the season underway.

He added: “I think the fact those players wanted to follow me here speaks volumes.

“Now we can concentrate on getting the systems in place so we can hit the ground running come August.

“Everyone seems to want to play pretty football but that is not always a possibility.

“We will be a passing side but that could change from week to week depending on the circumstances.

“At the end of the day I will be judged on winning games and not pretty football.”