Hampton & Richmond Borough chairman Steve McPherson reckons there are reasons to be cheerful, despite losing long-serving boss Alan Devonshire.

New chief Mark Harper added Ashford Town skipper Billy Jefferys and Histon defender Callum Stewart to his ranks on Friday and is in talks with two more players recently released from Football League clubs.

It follows news Auto Windscreens signed a five-figure shirt sponsorship deal this summer that has helped swell the coffers a little at the Beveree.

And it is a timely deal given the arrival of Truro to the Blue Square South has added more than £2,000 to the travel budget for the coming season.

And McPherson is hoping Harper can transfer the feel good feeling off the pitch on to it.

“There is a real buzz about the place. The club is in as good a shape as it has ever been,” he said.

“Losing Alan was a blow because he has done such a good job, but it has given us the chance to get rid of some dead wood.

“Financially we are in the best position we’ve been in for a long time and the playing budget is a little better this year as a result.

“It is all looking good on paper and but you won’t see the proof of the pudding until the season starts obviously.

“I think that we will have quite a good season and I think we will hold our own.

“With the players that have come and the players that have stayed, we’ve just got to see how things go over the first few games.”

Harper starts his reign with a friendly at home to Premier League new boys QPR on July 16, before League Two Brentford visit the Beveree three days later.

They are games organised by former chief Devonshire and McPherson admits Harper faces a hard task to match the success of his predecessor.

“Dev did so well here and enjoyed so much success. He just felt he needed a new challenge,” he added.

“Mark is going to be compared to him and it is going to be hard to live up to that expectation.

“But I like the way he wants the team to play. He’s going to use a different formation and has a different team.

“A lot of players have commented how training is almost like being at a professional club.”