NEW BADGE, NEW ERA FOR US, SAY BEAVERS

HAMPTON & Richmond Borough have three new players – as well as a brand new badge for a new league!

The Beavers are back in the second tier of Non-League for the first time since 2013 and they have given themselves a facelift.

The new logo, according to the club’s business manager, Steve Duly, gives the south west Londoners a new lease of life.

“It’s a great updated version, which we’re really happy with,” said the former Farnborough chief executive.

“I think it is vitally important that we have retained the history in the new one and we can’t wait to see the team walk out in our new kit with the fresh logo.”

Manager Alan Dowson is giving his squad some surgery and was a busy man this week.

His main priority has been to make sure the loss of freescoring central defender Moussa Diarra is not felt too widely.

The Frenchman moved to the National League and Barrow, but last week Dowson secured defender Callum McNaughton, 24, and Jay Gasson, 31, to plug the gap.

Also on board, returning to the Beveree, is 30-year-old midfielder Nathan Collier.

He left the club in 2012 and impressed last season for Eastbourne Borough.

Dowson said: “I’m really pleased with how things are shaping up.We know we needed to make sure we replaced Moussa correctly and I feel we have done.

“We’re nearly there now and we’ll be going into the league confident of another good season.”