NEW Evesham United manager Mike Ford wants his players to "show pride in their performance" this year as they look to push on from narrowly avoiding relegation last season.

The Robins begin their 2022/23 season with an extra-preliminary FA Cup tie at home to Hinckley LR on Saturday before their Southern League Division One South campaign gets underway next weekend at Frome Town.

Ford watched on as Evesham avoided relegation from Step 4 with two games to spare in 2021/22 and he insists that will not do this time around.

"There are a group of players here that I inherited here and they have all done well," he said.

"There are young players who have come in having been released by pro clubs and we have signed some new players so the expectation is that we have to be better than we were last year.

"For a club of this size, this club cannot be finishing fifth bottom.

"If by being better, elevates us towards the top of the table then that is just a by-product of what we are doing.

"I want to set the tone, the players need to work hard and play like they care. They need to show pride in their performance."

Evesham enjoyed some positive results in pre-season and supporters will have been encouraged.

But Ford is well aware that results are imperative and now it is time for the team to do the talking on the pitch after a difficult season last term.

"We cant keep saying the same things and getting no success," added Ford.

"We have to now have some sort of success and hopefully the supporters, who endured a long, tough season last year, will have looked on pre-season and seen that things are better and that these performances might take us somewhere we haven't been in a few years."