Steve Johnson will not to say too much to his Ringmer players before their Good Friday cup final showdown.

The Blues are determined to win the John O'Hara League Cup in memory of Herve King, their former midfielder who died on the pitch five weeks ago.

A bond in adversity has united the club since the tragedy during a game with Three Bridges on February 16.

Last week Johnson spoke at the funeral of Herve, his former captain who played under him at two different clubs.

He will talk again in the dressing room ahead of the final at Three Bridges (11am) reiterating the desire to win something in the memory of Herve.

Johnson, who has won many plaudits for the way he has handled matters since Herve's death, is respectful that opponents Shoreham will be hungry to win the cup for their own reasons.

However, he knows how important it is to everyone at Ringmer to win the cup and he also believes it would give them a chance to start a new chapter after a dark period in their history.

Johnson said: "We are trying to win it for Herve. That is the whole aim over the last few weeks. Everything we have done has been in his memory.

"We had the funeral last Friday and it was tears and sadness. We are still a bit down but now maybe we need to move on with Herve in mind and with his family in mind.

"We have paid our respects and we are really looking forward to the final.

"Shoreham are a decent side and no matter what we want to do they are a good side and they will want to win it too.

"We are going into it in good form. There are no footballing reasons why we can't win the game but it is how you perform on the day."

Johnson is not being callous in suggesting the club needs to move on. He knew Herve better than anyone at Ringmer and he has suffered with his players in the last few weeks.

However, Johnson has also taken strength from the way they have coped since the tragedy. They have won five of their eight league and cup games since, including a 5-0 victory in the re-arranged match with an in-form Three Bridges on Monday.

Johnson said: "What has happened has brought us closer together. I had a meeting with the players the other week. I said our little group will be mates for life because of what we have gone through together.

"We have become a closer unit, we are all working hard for each other, no one is rowing, no one is cursing if a pass goes astray. It has made us a better group."

The Ringmer boss won the John O'Hara League Cup with Arundel in 2004 and is determined success this season is not limited to just one member of the Johnson family.

Older brother Gary is hoping to lead Bristol City to the Premiership after a fabulous season but Steve hopes to get his hands on a trophy first.

He said: "Ringmer have not won this cup before so we are determined to beat Shoreham. Also my chairman, Richard Soan, has been magnificent through everything that has happened and a lot of the players want to win it for him."

Ringmer squad: Adams, Hart, Hunt, McLaughlin, Soutar, Johnson, Gedling, R.MacMillan, Barden, Scerri, Whiteman, Price, Matten, Greatwich, Novis, Patel.