When Carshalton Athletic kick-off their Ryman Premier League season this Saturday, all the talk should be of a possible promotion push, but it’s not.

Instead of dreaming of a title charge with a side boosted by big name signings of Laurent Hamici and Paul Vines, supporters have seen the Robins embroiled in a war of words between owner and manager Paul Dipre and a group of fans.

Ten supporters were banned at the end of the last season after allegedly shouting abuse and singing obscene songs aimed at Dipre, although they argue but they were picked out for disagreeing with the “autocratic way” Dipre runs the club.

After months of turmoil, in which the group of fans even handed out leaflets before pre-season friendlies, the situation seems to be thawing with an agreement for individual hearings for the supporters to discuss their cases close.

“To be fair, a few of them are good fans,” said Dipre, who has been owner for three years and manager since February.

“They have just been persuaded by their peers that I am a bad man.

“But I am big enough and old enough to take that sort of stuff.

“Loads of the others don’t agree with me or like me, which is fine, but they want to get on with supporting the club.

“The only objective of this group is to chase me out by harassment and intimidation.

“The fact they think I would leave because of this is surreal.

“I have been here three years, me and my family work here daily and we are hard-working, honest people.

“We have built something substantial that is becoming successful and there is too much invested with the facilities we have put in.

“It is a tiny fragment of a problem we have and they don’t affect anyone or anybody.

“The only thing that has made it so public and appear to be a big important issue is the coverage it has received.”

Away from the off-pitch issues, Dipre is enjoying his first foray in senior management having had success at youth, academy and reserve level in the past.

But he is refusing to name a goal for his team of star-studded signings and impressive youngsters.

“My target is to finish the season better than we start it and to improve the way we play, the goals we score and the clean sheets we keep,” he said.

“We have got quite a good team but how well they will gel and get on we will see.

“They play the right way and everybody is keen and happy and I think we will do well.”

They open their campaign at Canvey Island on Saturday.