DAVID Hopkin insists City are starting a “new chapter” as he urged the club to move on from any internal conflict.

Hopkin’s first home game in charge tomorrow against Charlton comes on the back of chairman Edin Rahic’s public apology to fans.

Rahic admitted he was “truly sorry” for some of the decisions he has made, including the appointment of previous head coach Michael Collins.

Hopkin hopes that has cleared the air at Valley Parade – and City can present a united front as they look to pick up from the poor start that cost Collins his job.

Hopkin, who last night made free agent Jim O’Brien his first signing, said: “The statement that Edin came out with was about stuff that’s happened before I was here.

“The meetings I’ve had with Edin have been fantastic. Everything I’ve asked for with him and Stefan (Rupp), I’ve been given.

“The past is the past. I think now is a new chapter and we move on.

“Edin’s come out and done his piece and from now on we just go on together.

“It’s how I’ve always been. I don’t worry about what happened six months or a year ago at any club.

“We need to make sure we put this stuff behind us and concentrate on football. That’s all I’m interested in.

“Everything else is nothing to do with me. We need to go forward as a group.

“I’m old enough and wise enough to know that it’s results on the pitch that matter whatever else happens.

“That’s my job. The support I’ve been getting from everyone has been great and hopefully the fans come on board and we can put everything else behind us.”

Scottish midfielder O’Brien, 30, has been on trial with City this week. It’s understood he had previously been training with former club Barnsley after leaving Ross County.

He has plenty of experience in the lower divisions having also played for Coventry, where he was captain, Scunthorpe and Shrewsbury.

Hopkin, whose resources have been hard hit by injury, added: “Jim is a very experienced player and he will bring a lot to the table.

“We’ve looked at a few free agents and over the next week or so, we’ll try and get a few more players in and have a look.

“But they’ve got to be the right type and the right people that are going to fit us going forward. I’m not going to sign someone for the sake of it because we need numbers.

“They need to add to the group, whether it’s energy or experience, need to be the right type with the training and the intensity I want to play at.

“I don’t want people just coming in to fill a gap. They need to add something in the long term.”

Hopkin is excited to be stepping out again at Valley Parade – 17 years after he last played there for City as the record signing. And he hopes the crowd will be firmly behind his side.

“We need to be in it together,” he said. “There’s no point in the fans splitting away from us or the team.

“I thought the fans at Blackpool last week were incredible and I just hope we can build on that.

“It’s a fantastic arena to play football in and I want the players to enjoy it and not be fazed.”