“You’ll make a profit on me if you sell me back to Kingstonian now,” jokes Hampton & Richmond Borough midfielder Josh Casey during Monday’s 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace.

The former Ks midfielder was responding to comments on his first half performance from boss Alan Dowson as I got to see first hand what a half-time teamtalk from the ex-Ks manager is really like.

Retired footballers often say they miss the dressing room banter most when they hang up their boots and it is not hard to see why.

But life as a trailist or the new boy seems not quite as smooth until the final whistle blows New signings at Beveree Nick Kabamba, Eddie Hutchinson, Michael Kamara, Tom Jelley and Moussa Diarra – not to mention trialist Richard Pacquette – were noticeably quieter than the more established Beavers’ players.

And as for yours truly, well I stuck out like a sore thumb, despite hiding myself in the corner.

Resident dressing room DJ Ryan Newman’s musical tastes and the pre-match routine – kept in check by skipper Keiran Murphy – help break the ice, but it is on the pitch that players earn the respect of their peers.

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Joker: Josh Casey of Hampton & Richmond Borough

Dowson’s expletive laden half-time musings – with contributions from coaches Martin Tyler and Ian Dyer – are mainly positive, with the manager keen to instill belief in his players.

It might have been different had Hampton’s performance been less impressive, but after the game there is more of the same with the new faces having come out of their shells – much like the last day of your first week at a new school.

Shared endeavour in the pursuit of success is the glue that binds a dressing room together and, as an outsider looking in, Hampton’s strangers are already part of the furniture.

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Lonely vigil: Stuart Amos keeps the bench warm during the Beavers' 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace on Monday night