The Bognor way will not change: Crane has faith in Rocks’ formula

Last season’s promotion hopes were dented by a slow start, with the Rocks only winning two of the first eight league fixtures, but the defender is confident the current line-up have the attitude and aptitude to succeed right out of the gate.

Crane praised the hard work displayed in training so far, stating: “They’re all good lads. Everyone’s pulling their weight and buying into Jack and Blakey’s plans. We’ve kept in good nick and that’s testament to the high levels of professionalism we have at the club.”

Crane knows all too well the competitive nature of the Isthmian Premier League and is well aware of Bognor’s promotion rivals.

“After playing at this level for 12 years, you start to get a feel for the clubs that’ll do well. Both Hornchurch and Kingstonian will be pretty strong because they’ve bought some good players and Worthing will always be up there because they’ve got such a huge fanbase and can attract players from South London.

“Looking at our team, we’ll definitely be up there too. At a minimum, we should be in the playoffs - and as soon as you’re there, you fancy a crack at the league,” he said.

Bognor’s pre-season victories over Selsey and Horndean last week saw many new faces given a platform to prove their worth. As one of the most experienced members of the squad, Crane understands how important his role is in reinforcing the club’s identity to the newcomers.

“It’s certainly a case of sticking to the Bognor way that Jack and Blakey firmly believe in. Everyone that comes to training needs to fit our mould. We should want to be on the ball, strive to be fitter than everyone else and enjoy possession. As a general rule of thumb, if we don’t force anything and recycle the ball, a golden opportunity will present itself,” he said.

A handful of new recruits are yet to permanently sign for the Rocks, although centre-half Joe Cook has now signed, but Crane is pleased to be training with a sizeable squad at this stage of pre-season. With team cohesion and chemistry crucial to the way Bognor play, he and his teammates have now been given plenty of time to gel before the campaign gets under way.

He has been particularly impressed by striker Jason Parish, who found the net after just three minutes in their friendly at Horndean. Although Parish has yet to sign, Crane hopes he can fill the void of last season’s talisman Dan Smith, who has joined Eastleigh.

“He looks hungry and I like that about him. He reminds me a little of Ollie Pearce when he was here. He’s desperate for the ball and is prepared to put himself where it hurts for the team. I can see him getting lots of chances and scoring important goals this season if he signs,” he explained.

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