BILLERICAY Town are going to the next level in order to make their players buy into Glenn Tamplin’s league ambition...on the pitch and at home.

Just ask Joe Ellul and new signing Robbie Evans.

The two are not only team-mates, but also house-mates after Tamplin offered them a place to stay in the grounds of his Abridge mansion.

Ellul, 28, and Evans, 22, only met last Friday but are already getting along well, with Evans saying ‘it feels like we are best friends already’.

And the pair are hoping their new found friendship can only lead to success on the pitch.

“It’s more like a house than a flat,” laughed Ellul. “I have become pretty close with (manager) Glenn (Tamplin) from when I signed last season and we are similar people with similar morals.

“I have bought into what he is doing and he is helping me out now.

“I wanted to get away from where I was staying and he said Robbie was moving in and did I want to share with him.

“It is good as we are getting to know each other and that is good for the team as well.”

“It has gone great so far,” said Evans, who ended a 14-year stint with Wrexham to join Billericay. “Part of my contract was I could stay in the flat as long as I wanted so Glenn has helped me a lot.

“I met the lads for the first time on Saturday as we started at pre-season and it was really positive.

“Joe has helped me settle a lot, showing me around the area and it is all really positive.

“We watch the same things, like the same music. I asked Joe if he liked playing Fifa so I packed the PlayStation.

“It will be a good laugh and it’s like we are best mates already.”

Midfielder Evans has signed a three-year deal at Town, bringing an end to a spell at the Welsh club he had been with since he was just eight years old - he also captained the club last season.

And he said he was determined to help Billericay achieve their goals - with Tamplin targeting a spot in the Football League by 2022.

“The call came out of the blue,” he said. “I didn’t know much about the club at the time and I took a few days to think about everything.

“But I met Glenn and signed after that.

“I have only ever been at Wrexham so it is a big thing for me but so far it has been brilliant.

“We started pre-season with Harry (Wheeler) and Neil (Grove) and the standard was impressive.

“We all just want to start playing now.”