Eastleigh will be aiming to secure their fifth tier status after a disappointing campaign so far, and currently sit just five points above the drop zone. The Spitfires are onto their third manager of the campaign, with Richard Hill returning to the Silverlake Stadium after Scott Bartlett’s dismissal last month, who in turn had replaced Kelvin Davis back in September. The former Southampton goalkeeper had guided the club to a respectable 13th place finish last term to seal an 11th successive season in the National League, before a streak of just three wins from their opening nine games brought a close to his time in charge in SO50, and subsequently brought the appointment of highly rated Weston-super-Mare boss Bartlett. Having departed Somerset with the Seagulls sat second in the National League South, a division he had led the club to after winning the Southern League Premier South title in 2023, it had seemed that exciting things were set to be on the horizon at Ten Acres, and led to him tasting just one defeat from his opening eight games in all competitions, including progressing to the FA Cup First Round with victory over Hampton & Richmond Borough. However, this was followed by large spells of inconsistency, with a seven game-winless streak preceding another five-match unbeaten run, and proved to be a pattern that plagued his time in charge in Hampshire as Eastleigh were unable to put together a regular enough run to climb the table. As such, Bartlett’s brief spell with the Spitfires came to an end after a 4-0 defeat at relegation-threated Morecambe, and left them sat 18th in the National League, six points above the drop zone, with Hill returning for his fourth spell in charge at the Silverlake, being tasked with guiding them away from danger. He will subsequently rely on a squad rife with quality despite their struggles this term, including the likes of former Maidstone United forward Aaron Blair, who tops Eastleigh’s goalscoring charts with 15 goals and is bettered by just five players in the entire division. Blair’s efforts in the final third have been aided by an additional seven strikes from Harvey Saunders; 45.83% of their entire tally this season (48) have been scored by the duo, while the consistency of Nick Townsend in goal, along with the likes of Archie Harris, Temi Eweka, Kieron Evans, Aaron Pierre, Lloyd Humphries and Josh Lundstram has seen Eastleigh build a settled side, something their new temporary basis will be looking to wield during the latter stages of the campaign. Richard Hill, the new manager of Eastleigh, has a wealth of experience in the football industry, having played for several clubs including Leicester City, Nuneaton Borough, Christchurch United, Northampton Town, Watford, Oxford United and Kettering Town. He has also had stints as an assistant manager at Wycombe Wanderers, Queens Park Rangers, Aston Villa, Northampton, Gillingham, Tranmere Rovers and others. Hill's experience and knowledge will be crucial in guiding Eastleigh to safety in the National League.