Lewes boss Steve Ibbitson was best mates with Kevin Keegan when the pair were youngsters at Scunthorpe.

Thankfully for Lewes, Ibbitson has more staying power in management than the man he cut his football teeth with.

Keegan went on to become one of the most successful English footballers of all time but, maybe unfairly, he has a reputation for walking away when the going got tough in his management career.

Ibbitson had every reason to turn his back on the troubles at Lewes this summer but he has stuck it out and the fact they are able to start the Blue Square south season at home to Weymouth tomorrow is as much down to him as anyone.

During the summer Ibbitson has pieced together a squad on a budget which is insignificant compared to recent years and at the same time he has embroiled himself in trying to rectify their off-field problems.

With a winding-up petition set for September 2, Lewes are starting a campaign which they may not finish but Ibbitson is doing everything he can to keep them alive.

He believes playing attractive, winning football can entice back stayaway supporters which is why he has put together the best squad of players he can with one arm tied behind his back.

Skipper Danny Cullip was the only player with a contract running into this season but Ibbitson has managed to keep hold of the likes of Anthony Barness, Joe Keehan, Rikki Banks, Chris Breach, David Wheeler and Sam Fisk.

New faces have arrived in the shape of Scott Kirkwood, Scott Chamberlain, Sam Crabb, Williams Peauroux, Dan Beck, Dan Royce and the latest confirmed signing, Andy Pearson, who was released by Albion at the end of last season.

Throw in some highly-rated youngsters, including the likes of Tim Rivers, Grant Hall and Ross Sutton, who remain under-18s, and you have a decent squad.

Ibbitson said: “We are trying to encourage people back to the Pan and while results are not normally important in pre-season we are encouraged to go through pre-season unbeaten.

“I have a squad of 18 non-under-18 players and we have some good players. A number of them could have got more money elsewhere but they wanted to play as high a standard at they could which is reassuring in this day and age.

“I would like an alternative of a striker with a physical presence who can also play but the budget won’t allow me that.”

Ibbitson said he had a “reasonably positive” meeting with managing director Martin Elliott on Wednesday and revealed talks are on-going with HM Revenue and Customs in an attempt to get an agreement on repaying a tax debt in place without the matter having to go to court.

However, he believes fans still have a part to play. He said: “If we can get that agreement we would not be out of the woods. We would still have to pay the money back. The club still have a number of hurdles to get over. That would just be the first one.

“Hopefully we will get a good crowd on Saturday. A good gate would be a positive sign for the Income people and also give us some cash flow.”

As for that Keegan link, Ibbitson said: “I was at Leeds in the Don Revie days and then went to Scunthorpe. Kevin came about three months later and we were best mates.

“I was mentioned in one of his books but my name was spelt wrong. I was playing for Peacehaven at the time and the lads didn’t believe me until we played in the annual five-a-side tournament at the Brighton Centre and Brighton played Southampton in the pro-match before the final.

“Kevin called me into the dressing room. I had a chat with him, Peter Shilton and Alan Ball. He gave me his phone number and made me promise to keep in touch but I never did. We had both moved on.”

At this moment in time, Lewes fans are probably more grateful to have Ibbitson in charge than Keegan.