STEVE Kuhne says he is enjoying coaching “a bunch of young and hungry men” ahead of St Neots Town Youth & Saints first ever game at senior level.

The former St Neots Town assistant manager, speaking from Spain where he is taking a short holiday before the United Counties League season starts with an away game at Raunds Town on Saturday, told The Hunts Post: “It’s looking really good and the team is looking in good form.

“The players are with the club for the right reasons – there is no money, there is no budget, just a bunch of young and hungry men who are enjoying playing their football and who want to improve. It’s a refreshing situation to be in to be honest.”

Kuhne was appointed the first manager of the brand new side just over two months ago by the chairman, Colin Parker, and has had very little time to put together a squad of players good enough to challenge in such a strong division. But the under-21s team (the club is adamant that is what they will be), will largely be made up of the players who were playing for St Neots Town’s under-21s and under-18s teams last season.

There have been some great results in pre-season – including victories over the Eastern Counties League side Cogenhoe United (2-0) and, more impressively, the UCL Premier Division side AFC Kempston Rovers (6-2) – and links will be strong with their landlords, St Neots Town, with the new team playing its home games at The Cozy Stadium.

The chairman of the senior Saints, Mike Kearns, couldn’t be more excited by the project. “They have been a joy to watch,” he said. “Both of the teams have.”