Assistant manager Jake Leberl says Dover are assembling a young squad who are hungry for success and claims supporters should be excited about the future.

Whites have seen almost every senior player either leave or be released after their sixth-placed finish in National League last season, although they have seen an influx of new arrivals in recent weeks who began their pre-season campaign with a 3-0 cruise at Deal Town on Tuesday night.

Dover welcome Gillingham to Crabble on Saturday (3pm) and Charlton visit on Tuesday (7.45pm).

Boss Chris Kinnear’s assistant Leberl admitted: “It has been a big change but we are building a squad and we’re probably another three or four signings off being there.

“I see what people say about the situation but trust me, Chris Kinnear is no mug. He’s not a young rookie manager, he’s been there and done it time and again. Do people really think he won’t be able to build a side that is competitive?

“Look at the players that have come into the club and gone on to play for clubs in the Football League. Chris knows a player and his record speaks for itself.”

Leberl added: “We’ve had a couple of great years and at the end of last season there were some players who were always going to go and others we maybe could have kept but we made some tough decisions and the club wouldn’t be held to ransom.

“We have finished eighth, fifth and sixth but we have to stay realistic and we can’t compete financially with some of the other clubs.

“We have brought in some young and hungry players, there are no old pros or has-beens here. Players that come here are ambitious and want to play as high as possible.”

Dover will begin their National League campaign with a testing trip to newly-relegated Hartlepool and midfielder Nick Deverdics on August 5.

The midfielder joined Pools from Dover last summer after two years at Crabble but returned on loan last season.

He told the United website: “It will be a strange because we’ll be coming up against Dover players but I won’t know them so it will be a bit different.”

Leberl added: “It’s exciting to go there for our first game. There should be a big crowd and it’s a good way to start the season.”

Dover’s game at Macclesfield on Saturday, August 26, has been brought forward to 7.45pm the previous night due to planned rail engineering works, while the game at Tranmere the following Saturday has been pushed back to 5.30pm for BT Sport TV coverage.