Landscape is changing at Eastbourne Borough - but boss Beard is taking it in his stride

As new manager Mark Beard was overseeing a notable 1-0 victory over Aldershot Town last Saturday, in Borough’s first friendly, spectators were taking in the changes all around them.

Fringing the pathway alongside the Langney Sports clubhouse, a newly constructed club shop was not quite open for business – well, the construction guys had started from scratch only in midweek! – and an almost identical “pod” building is expected to open shortly, on the car park edge, as a café and coffee shop.

32 pictures from Eastbourne Borough v Aldershot.

In through the turnstiles, there are only minor signs as yet: some fresh concreting on the path in front of the Mick Green Stand, some of the old advertising hoardings being replaced – with, no doubt, a range of new sponsors. And in a major boost for aesthetics as well as spectator comfort, the main stand seating – which has looked rather shabby and creaking in the past year or two – is set to be totally replaced. Simon Leslie reckons on having that task completed by August 5th, when the Sports open their National South campaign against Hampton and Richmond.

Against Tommy's Shots, the home side took the field in a snazzy new kit – oh, and without the traditional sound track of Sussex by the Sea. Was that a change of policy? The Herald understands not: simply a nod to the friendly status of the game. Many things are evolving at Priory Lane, but some traditions are worth retaining!

What price a triumphant first season for the new Eastbourne Borough? Well, one major online betting company quoted the Sports at a quite generous 14-1 to take the National South title. That extremely early show of odds has Torquay United installed as 11-2 favourites, with Yeovil, Maidstone United, Farnborough and Worthing all fancied ahead of Eastbourne.

Mark Beard – who comes across as a modest, pragmatic figure – will not be losing a blink of sleep. With plenty of squad-building to do – as well as some serious team bonding – Beard heads west with his players this weekend on a five-day training camp. Based in the Vale of Glamorgan, Borough will undertake a full programme of physical conditioning and tactical work, possibly including a closed-doors friendly, before returning from Wales on Thursday ahead of the home friendly next Saturday (22nd) against a Charlton Athletic XI.

The new gaffer was happy with last Saturday’s first outing, when former Borough manager Tommy Widdrington brought his National League Aldershot Town squad to the Lane. A single goal on the half-hour by a triallist earned Borough a narrow 1-0 victory, but there was much else for Beard to be pleased with.

“The result is never unimportant, of course, and to notch a 1-0 win against a full National League side was pleasing, and gives us a nice platform. We created a lot of other chances, too, and we stood up well in the spells when Aldershot threatened us. I hope our supporters enjoyed their first view of our new squad.

“But more importantly, it was a chance for myself and my staff to see our players in a match situation, and to try a few things out. We fielded almost two complete elevens in the two halves, and there were some useful performances. It’s all part of the progress towards the 5th of August.”

The newly full-time approach to training certainly gives both players and management huge scope. Your Herald reporter watched a full session the other day, with all the players – after a proper nutritionally balanced breakfast and a team briefing – put through lengthy conditioning routines, followed by a long full-game session. And as they approach the season proper, the lads can often expect to be back out after lunch too!

It was a sharp contrast to the former regime, when Danny Bloor and his coaches had to squeeze their part-time players’ work into a couple of hours on a damp Thursday evening. All part of the evolution – or should that read revolution?