Kwan Browne expects East Grinstead to be back among hockey's elite come next April.

A second successive promotion is the target for the men from Saint Hill.

Player-coach Browne set out a two-year plan to steer Grinstead back into the premier division of English hockey when he took over last summer.

Stage one was achieved when they finished second in division two last season, missing out on the title on goal difference, and Browne insists that can be repeated this year in the re-named premier two.

Grinstead sent out a warning to their rivals last weekend by scoring an amazing 27 goals in two days. They followed a 13-0 Sussex Cup drubbing of Southwick on Saturday with a 14-0 defeat of Ashford in a friendly 24 hours later.

Browne, the Trinidad and Tobago international captain, said: "Getting promoted to the premier division is our aim for the season.

"Pre-season has been going extremely well. We have played (premier division side) Canterbury, who beat us last year, and won 6-4 having been 5-1 up at half-time.

"We are looking frighteningly good. Hopefully we won't start off well and then fall away, like we did in the middle part of last season.

"I think we are more than capable of climbing into the premier division."

Browne has retained all of last season's squad, including fellow Trinidad and Tobago internationals Dillet Gilkes and Dwain Quan Chan.

Pacy forward Mark Justice has joined from Lewes, where he impressed in the second half of last season, Andrew Medcalf has returned to the club from Bath and Neil Turk is back from Exeter University.

Mark Ansell, who scored eight times in the early part of last season before sustaining a serious knee injury, is on his way back to full fitness and could return to action in a fortnight.

Goalkeeper Giles Dakin continues to skipper the side while much is expected of outstanding teenager Ashley Jackson. The 16-year-old scored 13 league goals last year and if he continues that form he will certainly be pushing for an England under-18s call-up.

Grinstead start their season away to Stourport on Sunday while a much-changed Lewes begin in premier three at home to National League new boys Whitchurch.

Adam Burrows has taken over as coach from Renwick Irvine, who has left the club after one season.

Club captain Will Champness has stopped playing to concentrate on umpiring, Luke Hurle has stepped down to coach the seconds, Alistair Boyse has given up hockey for a second time while Simon Letchford has quit to join Purley Walcountians as coach.

With Justice going to Grinstead and skipper Ryan Standing possibly out until Christmas with a knee ligament injury, Burrows is turning to youth.

Lee Wiles, a prolific scorer for Southwick over the past couple of years, has stepped up to play National League hockey along with former team-mate Matt Rickson.

Fellow youngsters Daffyd Charles, Mike Treacy and Matt Clarke have been promoted from the seconds.

Burrows said: "The transition started last season. This year we will have to have the young kids in there but it is a good step.

"It will be a very difficult season and we will have to take points off the teams around us. The target for the season is to make sure we are still in the National League next year. That is not being downbeat, it is realistic."

Former England captain Ben Barnes has joined Chichester as player-coach.

Skipper Sam Beere said: "Ben has already made a huge difference to us."

Chichester, who open their South Premier division two campaign next weekend, have been drawn away to Marjons of Plymouth in the second round of the HA Cup.