Dave Frecklington has hit the ground running at Spalding United, agreeing deals for three new signings and getting two more key players on contract.
The new boss reckons he will have the best central defensive partnership in the league after tying up the return of Kern Miller.
The tall centre-half will play alongside club skipper Nathan Stainfield as part of defensive options including Neal Spafford, left-back Jason Field – recruited from Stamford to fill the void made by Adam Jackson’s departure – and possibly Paul Walker. Talks with him to re-sign are at an advanced stage.
And today (Wednesday) a deal was sealed for central midfielder Nathan Whitehead (24). He joins from Lincoln United who Frecklington led into the Evo-Stik First Division south play-offs last season.
Having also managed Miller and Field previously, the Tulips boss knows all three to be exactly the pedigree of player he wants.
“Kern was with me at Worksop Town and has matured into a good player, who’s useful at set pieces too,” he said. “And I had Jason at Lincoln United for 13 months before he went to Stamford in the Evo-Stik Premier Division.
“They are both winners and very similar to how I used to play the game.
“Nathan is a box to box player but I like him sitting in, breaking up play and setting things going.
“All three lads are young and hungry and I’m very pleased to have them.”
Meanwhile, Spafford and keeper Michael Duggan signed one-year contract deals on Monday, following the lead set by Stainfield.
Sam Murphy, Dan Banister and Dan Lawlor have left the club, but with his Lincoln United assistant manager Chris Rawlinson agreeing to join him at the Sir Halley Stewart Playing Field, Frecklington is feeling pretty content with his first few days in charge.
He said: “I wanted to put my stamp on the team straight away. The ones that have left have left for their own personal reasons and I’ve been getting the right players for the areas I felt we needed strengthening.
“I’ve been talking to two forwards and if we can get them in to complement Charley (Sanders) and Tom (Waumsley) we’ll have four really good strikers.”
The Tulips’ first competitive match of next season is an attractive Lincolnshire FA County Cup quarter-final at Boston United on Tuesday, July 12. The winners will play Stamford or Grimsby Town.
