Let's go! Hastings United buzzing as the games begin

Chris Agutter leads Hastings United into friendly action for the first time on Saturday / Picture: Scott White

Hastings United are steadily building towards their new promotion campaign.

The squad have returned to something like ‘normal’ pre-season training – while obeying distancing rules of course – and a programme of pre-season friendlies begins tomorrow (Sat Aug 1).

United visit Westfield for their first friendly, a game Hastings will be showing in full on Facebook at 4pm on Sunday.

The matches continue with a visit to Eastbourne United on Tuesday.

It follows a successful academy open weekend at The Pilot Field when CEO Billy Wood and club coaches were blown away by the number of young players who turned up.

Wood told us: “Everything is gathering pace now and we’re all buzzing.

“We had a massive number of youngsters turning up last weekend, the men’s first-team squad have stepped up to full training and the women’s numbers have been trimmed into what we feel is a very good squad.

As has been well-chronicled, Hastings were top of the Isthmian south-east division when the 2019-20 season was halted and then written off.

Manager Chris Agutter has spoken of the squad’s desire to complete the unfinished business.