WE WON'T BE AN EASY RIDE

HAKAN HAYRETTIN wants to put an end to the opposition coming to Dulwich Hamlet for a nice afternoon out – and has told his new-look squad to become club legends.

- Matt Badcock

ISTHMIAN LEAGUE

The former Grays, Braintree Town and Maidstone United boss says promotion has to be the aim for the south London club following relegation from the National League South on the final day of the season.

Hayrettin, who took Maidstone back to Non-League’s top tier just over 12 months ago, arrived in March when they were on a slippery slope to the drop.

And he saw enough to ring the changes this summer – and good reasons to stay on too. “I haven’t been at this level for a long time,” Hayrettin told The NLP. “I don’t think the club deserves to be at this level. It was a decision we made collectively we want to give it a go.

“We’re not there to make the numbers up. I am there to try and get them promoted and do well. That’s the plan. It’s not going to be easy.

“I made a conscious decision that even though some players were putting out on social media their intentions to leave the club, I didn’t want them anyway. I only wanted four or five.