Rugby Town’s new manager Dave Stringer is confident of keeping the bulk of last season’s group of players together at Butlin Road, whilst also looking forward to the challenges of a switch of leagues for the 2011/12 campaign.

By JON VENNER Tweet

	Rugby Town manager Dave Stringer is confident that the majority of last season's squad will stay with Valley

Just two weeks after taking over the reins from the departing Martin Sockett, the 2010/11 Valley assistant boss has been busy shaping his squad already.

He said: “I’ve spoken to most of the players now and I’m delighted to confirm that it looks like most of them have committed to come back next season.

“I’m very pleased with the way things have gone so far and I’ve still got a couple left to talk to, but as it stands we’ve only lost one – Nick Heath – to Redditch.

“Of course I will be looking to bringing in a few new players in for pre-season training, but I think it was important that we had continuity in the squad going into the new campaign.

“We need to carry on where we left off and continue to build on the excellent season we had. Of course I will try and do some things slightly differently, but in essence it is a case of building on what we have achieved already.”

43 year old Stringer also confirmed the appointment of Tony Clarke as his assistant. Like Stringer, Clarke featured for the club as a player in the 1990’s – making 33 starts, and had already been helping out as part of Sockett’s Town coaching staff towards the end of last season.

Stringer reflected on the announcement last week that the club would compete in the Northern Premier League (NPL) in 2011/12 for the first time in their history – meaning an end to twenty eight consecutive years in its southern equivalent.

He said: “I’ve managed in the division that we will playing in next season, and I see no reason why we shouldn’t have a successful year. There are some strong teams in there, but if we can hit the ground running we should be up there challenging.”

Stringer was in charge at Shepshed Dynamo for the season preceding his appointment as Sockett’s assistant at the Valley, and his old club are penciled in as part of Town’s current pre-season fixture schedule.

In addition to the already announced visit to Butlin Road of Blue Square Conference side Kidderminster, Rugby have also confirmed a home friendly against Chasetown on Friday 15th July. The Scholars currently play in the Premier Division of the NPL – one level above Valley’s Division One South.

The club are also hoping to welcome Southern League Premier Brackley to Butlin Road as part of their warm-up plan, with a number of practice games also planned on the club’s 3G artificial pitch.