New faces for the new season

FC United’s assistant manager Roy Soule believes this season’s squad is stronger than last year with several new faces joining a side that is expecting to challenge for the Evo-Stik Premier Division title.

The pre-season campaign starts on Saturday but the players have already been back in training for a few weeks with all of last season’s players involved other than Scott McManus, who joined Halifax, and Jerome Wright, who decided to sign for Chester.

There are currently eight new players at the club with all of them hoping to make an impact during pre-season with Soule in talks with three other players about the possibility of them joining the Reds.

Many supporters will be aware of the signing of centre-back Adam Jones, who joined a few weeks ago from Curzon Ashton, but there are a number of other new recruits who Karl Marginson and Soule have been keen to keep under wraps whilst monitoring their progress.

Stalybridge Celtic’s Michael Carr is arguably the most established signing as the 27-year-old midfielder has a wealth of experience including seven caps and one goal for the England C Team.

Left midfielder Scott Metcalfe is a good acquisition from Halifax Town having helped the Shaymen to the Evo-Stik title last season. Central-defender and right-back Dean Stott, 21, joins following two years at Hyde after previously plying his trade at Burnley and Preston North End.

Margy and Soule have also recruited midfielders Adam Edwards, Daniel Grimshaw, Chris Horne and defender Paul Armstrong. More details to follow about the latter four in the coming weeks.

Soule said: “I feel that this squad has a better balance than last season, it’s more competent, more disciplined and there is more maturity about the players. Pre-season has been excellent. We’ve made the lads work really hard and every credit to them they have responded. We’re really pleased with the lads’ approach and hopefully it will transfer into results on the pitch.???