George Saville has wasted little time settling into life at Bromley, and the midfielder appears convinced that the third-tier club has the right blend of spirit and ambition to make this a season worth remembering.

Speaking to BBC Radio London's Andy Rowley, Saville described the atmosphere inside the squad as something he picked up on quickly after arriving. "There's a real feeling of togetherness here," he said, words that carry a particular weight when you consider the context. Bromley are a club still finding their feet at League One level, and experienced arrivals who buy into the collective rather than arriving with inflated expectations tend to matter as much off the pitch as on it.

Saville, a Republic of Ireland international who has previously played in the Championship and Scottish Premiership, brings considerable pedigree to Hayes Lane. His career has taken in clubs including Millwall, Middlesbrough and Stoke City, which makes his choice to drop into the third tier an interesting one. Whether that decision was primarily driven by finances, geography or a genuine belief in the project, he did not expand upon publicly, but his remarks to the BBC suggest he is not treating it as a stop-gap.

The ambitions he referenced were not spelled out in detail in the broadcast clip, but the framing matters. Bromley finished last season as a club still adjusting to the pace and physicality of League One after their rise through the non-league pyramid. The early weeks of this campaign have offered encouragement, including a hard-fought draw at Blackpool that manager Andy Woodman described as a sign of the team finding themselves again.

Togetherness is the kind of word that turns up in press releases and post-match interviews so regularly that it risks losing meaning entirely. What makes Saville's version of it slightly more credible is the timing. He is not delivering it in a pre-season hype reel or a unveiling photo call. He said it in late September, after matches have been played, points accumulated and a dressing room actually tested.

For a club like Bromley, built on community rather than corporate investment, the character of its players is not a soft consideration. It is fairly central to how the club functions. Woodman has spoken repeatedly this season about standards and mentality, and recruiting a midfielder who speaks in those terms before he has been asked to is the kind of thing a manager tends to notice.

Saville's role in the side will also be worth watching tactically. Bromley have at times looked for a player capable of controlling tempo in central areas, and a man with over 250 Championship appearances on his record offers something different to what the club has previously had available in that department.

There are, of course, questions still to be answered. Form over a full season in this division is a different challenge to form over a handful of games. Bromley's squad depth will be tested by injuries and suspensions as the fixture list tightens. And the gap between saying the right things in a radio interview and consistently delivering the right performances on a muddy January pitch is, as League One clubs know well, a significant one.

But the early signs from Saville are encouraging. If the togetherness he describes holds through the harder months ahead, Bromley may find they have added more than just a name to their midfield.

Frequently asked

Who is George Saville and why has he joined Bromley?
George Saville is a Republic of Ireland international midfielder with extensive Championship experience, having played for clubs including Millwall, Middlesbrough and Stoke City. He joined Bromley in League One and has spoken publicly about believing in the club's ambitions.
What division do Bromley play in?
Bromley currently play in League One, the third tier of English football. They rose through the non-league pyramid in recent years before reaching this level.
What has George Saville said about Bromley?
Speaking to BBC Radio London, Saville said there is a 'real feeling of togetherness' at the club and spoke positively about the ambitions within the squad since joining.