JOHN McFarlane is back on the Sydenhams Premier Division scene as assistant manager of Folland Sports.

McFarlane was part of Ashley Vickers’ Blackfield & Langley backroom staff during their 2012/13 Premier Division title-winning campaign and has had two spells with Romsey Town.

He has spent most of his management career working alongside Glenn Burnett, and the pair of them assisted Paul Masters at Winchester City last term.

Dave Herbert, Follands’ recently appointed manager, said: “Everyone I’ve spoken to has raved about John and said how knowledgeable he is. I wanted to chat to him and, as soon as I did, I knew we were reading off the same page.

“We’ve got the same mentality of adopting old-style Wessex football. It might not be the prettiest, but people can glorify it too much, trying to pass the ball out from the back, and it doesn’t work at this level. You’re not going to play beautiful football away at Verwood.

“We’re going to make ourselves tough and resilient and play all our football in the final third, no messing around.”

Herbert has also welcomed in ex-Sholing reserve team coach Gavin Dobson to help strengthen things at the back.

“Gavin’s going to look at the defensive side of things,” the boss explained. “I always admired what he and Dave Fear did for Sholing reserves and, again, it was a no-brainer for me to get him into the structure and work on tidying up set-pieces etc.

“We’re also looking to strengthen with a physio and matchday help.”

Having registered their first win of the season on Tuesday, beating Fareham Town 1-0 (Paul Olawyni) in the Hampshire FA Senior Cup, Follands – who have taken just one point from five games - hope to get their league season off the ground at Moneyfields on Saturday.