Hinshelwood: Everyone at the club wants to progress

Aarran Racine and Alfie Young, who had both been looking to get deals with higher-league clubs, both committed their future to Worthing last week.

That has led to Worthing fans feeling optimistic about the season ahead and Hinshelwood said: "Expectations will be raised after the way we finished last season and because we've brought in that calibre of player.

"But no one will have higher expectations than what me and the players will have this season.

"They're two quality players for this level and we're extremely lucky to have them on board.

"I'd been speaking to them throughout the summer and things had been dragging on a while but it's great news they've signed for Worthing Football Club.

"They'll both be a little bit disappointed (not to get a deal with a higher-league club) but they are now coming back with a higher desire to make sure they are playing at the highest level and to push on. That can only be a good thing for Worthing.

"They are contracted to us for the season, which is massive for us.

"We've got a board and manager who want to progress and we want players who want to do the same and that then bodes well for the future."

Racine was assistant manager at Worthing last season as he recovered from a knee injury, before he played a few games at the end of the season.

Hinshelwood added: "Aarran is not just a great signing for us on the pitch but off the field as well. He's heavily involved with our under-14, under-15 and under-16 squads and it's a massive coup for the club to have him.

"He will still be involved with the coaching this season, along with Cam (Morrison). Aarran was assistant manager last year and we'll see how things go as he might want to concentrate on playing this year, so we've got a couple of options and things in the pipeline."

Reece Meekums will not be returning to Worthing, after signing for National League Bromley at the weekend.

He starred on loan at Woodside Road from Brighton last year and Hinshelwood said: "To not have him at Worthing is disappointing as we know what a talented player he is but at the same time he has joined a National League club.

"The development and experience he had at Worthing will have helped him.

"The National League is where we want to be ourselves in the future and at this moment in time we can't stand in his way."

Asked if he is now looking to make another attacking signing after Meekums joined Bromley, Hinshelwood said: "We'll always keep an eye out in case something was to crop up. But we've got Callum Kealy, Ollie Pearce, Jesse Starkey, Jazz Rance, Ricky Aguiar, who has been brilliant in pre-season, and Jasper Pattenden as well.

"We'll always have an eye out if something becomes available but we've got plenty of options in our ranks.

"We'd maybe like that one player with a real injection of pace still, something a little bit different, and if we get that then I think we've got all bases covered.

"We've got good technical players and an aerial threat with Aarran and Alfie to defend against the longer ball, so we'll just look to add something a little bit different in an ideal situation.

"But that's one we'll have to be patient with and see what happens."

Goalkeeper Lucas Covolan, who is also seeking a move to a higher-league club, played in an in-house friendly at Worthing on Saturday.

Hinshelwood said: "He has a couple more things in the pipeline, so we'll have to wait and see what happens with him."

A deal for another goalkeeper to join Worthing on loan from a professional club has been agreed and should be announced this week.Rhyle Ovenden and Will Miles played in the in-house friendly at Woodside Road on Saturday and Hinshelwood added Ollie Pearce is progressing well and could feature in the Guernsey game on August 4.

Worthing are next in action at Wimborne on Saturday. They then host Gillingham's under-23 team next Tuesday and then travel to Loxwood on August 1.