Sids in confident mood for new season

Daren Pearce’s first team start on August 19 away to Worthing Leisure, while Sids seconds start the same day at home to Mile Oak.

The club’s under-18s start their new league campaign in September.

Sidlesham have new under-12 and under-eight teams in local youth leagues and they also get under way in September.

Pearce said: “Pre-season has gone really well with the lads working hard and producing some good quaility football.

“It’s been very pleasing to keep everyone from last season’s squad and we have added some new faces – good quality and good strength in depth to the squad.

“It’s always good bringing in new faces but they have to fit within the club as we are trying to build a team and a club. And the lads we have signed are all good-quality players, plus they fit the clubs ethos.

“Having played Horndean, Burgess Hill under-21s and Portchester plus Littlehampton from the step six and above, it’s been good also to play a couple of step seven teams to see where we are and how we are developing as a group.

“The lads have taken on board what we are trying to build and they are adapting well to new ideas and the way we want things done.

“Also pleasing is the way the group have welcomed in some of the young lads again.

“With the under-18s also starting this season it gives us a great way of developing younger lads for the future. We look forward also to supporting the new under-eight and under-12 teams as they all start in their respective leagues.”

Chichester City’s final pre-season run-out before they start the season proper ended in a 4-2 defeat to Bostik League south side Hastings United.

Chichester and Pagham both start their campaigns tomorrow (Aug 5) in the FA Cup - away to Binfield and Arundel respecitvely.

Midhurst did well but ended up 3-2 losers to Arundel in a pre-season friendly, while Bosham had a comfortable 7-0 win at Rogate.

Midhurst’s season begins at Selsey in the Peter Bentley Cup on Saturday while the Robins have another fortnight before their Southern Combination division-two season gets under way.

Bosham begin their league programme on August 19.

Don’t miss out on all the latest breaking sports news where you live.

Here are four ways you can be sure you’ll be among the first to know what’s going on.

1 Make this website your homepage

2 Like our Facebook page at facebook.com/pages/Sport-Sussex

3 Follow us on Twitter @SportSussex

4 Register with us by clicking on ‘sign in’ (top right corner). You can then receive our daily newsletter AND add your point of view to stories that you read here.

Share with your family and friends - so they don’t miss out!