Lancaster City squad all but set in stone

The Dolly Blues manager has added six new faces after winning the Evo-Stik First Division North title as the Giant Axe club prepare for life in the Premier Division.

Goalkeeper Chris Cheetham and former Morecambe youngster Charlie Bailey were the latest new arrivals this week, the latter following his brother Sam from Kendal Town.

Five players have also now left the club with Jacob Gregory announcing his departure, the winger or full back electing to try and secure full-time football.

Brown however has been busy when it comes to incomings having also added Glossop North End defender Paul Dugdale, Colne striker Oliver Wood and Warrington winger Scott Harries.

The majority of those who fired the Dollies to promotion are also signed up.

The City boss isn’t completely ruling out more new faces but is happy that his squad is more or less in place.

“I think that’s me about done,” said Brown.

“We’ve had five go out and brought six in.

“We’ve lost Mike Hale, Jordan Connerton and Jacob Gregory and Charlie Waters is off to Canada and Danny Shearwood to Singapore.

“We’ve done our business with the new signings and I’m happy with the balance we’ve got.

“If I look at my defensive options I’m happy with what I’ve got, we’ve got a lot of flexibility in midfield and our strikers are in position.

“With Chris and Luke Raybould we’ve got competition when it comes to the goalkeepers as well.

“You never say never because you don’t know what might happen and a player we can’t ignore might become available.

“But at the moment I wouldn’t say I’m actively pursuing new signings.

“It’s a bit of a rest period now with the squad in place.”

One thing Brown can do now is take a more in depth look at how he might approach things come the opening day of the season on August 12.

“What I can do now is look at more specifics,” he said.

“Don’t get me wrong, I’ve thought about tactics and the shape of the team when signing players but now I’ve got more time to focus on that.

“I can look at different options.

“We can also sort out pre-season details and put them in place.

“The players are back on July 1 and that gives us six weeks until the first game of the new season.”

The Dolly Blues have six pre-season friendlies confirmed with potentially one more to come.

City will travel to Nelson on July 18, host an Isle of Man XI on July 22 and Barrow on July 25, travel to Tony Hesketh’s Fulwood Amateurs on July 29, welcome Atherton Collieries to Giant Axe on August 1 and travel to Bamber Bridge on August 5.