SPARTANS LOOK TO OLD FAVOURITES

IT IS understandable that Blyth Spartans manager Michael Nelson is ready for take a breath after such a hectic week.

The former Hartlepool United defender has overhauled his squad by luring a number of former favourites back to Croft Park.

Jordan Watson, Sean Reid, Michael Liddle and Dan Maguire will all wear the green and white once again next season after they left Darlington.

Nathan Buddle has returned following his departure from Spennymoor Town, JJ O’Donnell has made a permanent switch after ending his seven-year association with Gateshead and former South Shields winger Josh Gillies is back in Northumberland after over a decade away.

There have been new faces too as former Newcastle United academy striker Lewis McNall, ex-Boston United defender Karl Byrne and Hull City youngster Jordan Hickey will also form part of Nelson’s squad next season.

There is a freshness around the club after only four players – Rhys Evans, Connor Thomson, Corey McKeown and Jamie Clark – were retained from last season’s squad, which finished bottom of the National League North table when the season was curtailed.

More new additions will follow ahead of the return to pre-season training next month – but for now, Nelson is ready to bide his time.

“Things have moved quickly but we are moving now, and we have got them in,” he told The NLP. “Now it’s a case of being patient because we still need to add to the squad. We’ve got two or three main targets in positions we need to look at.

“We have a bit of footage to go through, we’ve had some contacts and some recommendations over the last five to ten days. We will look at different players and we have targets in those positions.

“We need to do due diligence on them to make sure they are the right people and players for us. It’s a good start, but we still have work to do.”

The Croft Park faithful have reacted positively to a hectic week behind the scenes as Nelson’s rebuilds his squad.

The Northumberland outfit have endured two torrid seasons and only Covid-19 and the FA decision to curtail both campaigns prevented them from suffering only the second relegation in their entire history.

Nelson reflected on a busy few days and insisted that he will do what he can to carry the positive atmosphere into the new National League North season.

“Obviously, we had to let a large number go in order bring what have,” he explained.

“We were to sell our vision to the players and they have come on board. It’s been a productive week, no doubt about it.

“Hopefully, we can carry that positive atmosphere into pre-season and beyond.”