SHAUN AIMS TO RAISE BAR HIGH

LOCAL hero Shaun Saunders was chuffed to lead Whitehawk to promotion – and is hoping his summer recruitment gives them the chance to repeat the trick.

- John Lyons

The 58-year-old took the hotseat just over a year ago and kept the struggling Hawks in the Isthmian South East. This season he took them to the other end of the table and promotion was achieved via the playoffs after a third-place finish.

The former Peacehaven & Telscombe and Haywards Heath Town boss has already made a handful of impressive signings for next term, and is determined to give the Brighton-based club the best possible chance of shining in the Isthmian Premier.

“I’m not naïve to the point where I underestimate the quality of the division,” he told The NLP. “There are some really top teams, managers and coaches, some big clubs in that league.

“However, it has never been in my DNA to take a job where your target is just to stay in the league. I will always set the bar high and I want to finish as high in the table as we can.