FOREST Green Rovers manager Mark Cooper is looking to add another three or four players to his squad before they start their historic debut season in the Football League.

Cooper has already signed five players since the National League play-off final victory at Wembley over Tranmere Rovers which sent the Nailsworth team up into dreamland.

And, while more established Football League teams, like relegated League One outfits Port Vale, Chesterfield, Swindon Town and Coventry City could have eager eyes on picking up victories over Forest Green, Cooper insists ‘”We are not going in this league to survive.”

Forest Green are now subject to the Football League transfer window so time is of the essence.

Cooper is happy with the core of the squad and admits he is having to fend off advances from other teams for his players even before a ball has been kicked in anger.

The Forest Green manager wants a squad of 22 to start with, saying: “We have to make sure that we have sufficient numbers in case of injuries and suspensions.”

But more new signings are probable. “The trick is making sure we have not too many but just enough. We are going to try and add to get that number which we are short of at the minute.

“We will take our time. We don’t have to panic and rush into things. We have had bids for some of our players and I think we probably need another three or four players.”

Cooper accepts if the price is right, some of the squad may go, adding: “Everyone has their price in football but we don’t want to lose anyone.

“We have already turned a lot of bids down. We want to keep the nucleus together and add to it if we can.”

As for the season, which saw the League Two fixtures announced last week, Cooper says Forest Green are not going to lay down and be tickled even though the bombardment of big professional games will come thick and fast.

“The fixtures are interesting. You look at the first block and they appear to be difficult on paper but I am not one who gets up or down about fixtures because you have to play them all at some point and you could say we have a difficult start but this may be the best time to play these teams.

“The reality starts to sink in now off the pitch in terms of knowing where we need to get to in order to host these types of occasions and, on the pitch, where we need to be to compete against teams which are established at this level.”

It will be a big step on the ladder as Forest Green go from a big fish in the National League pond to a smaller one in League Two.

But the manager is adamant he knows what needs to be done. “It is important that we carry the winning mentality and winning momentum. We were used to winning games last year on the whole so it is important we try and carry that into pre-season and into the season.

“Generally teams which do well in the National League, do well in League Two. We believe in the squad of players we have got and I think we can go into it with great confidence.

“It is about who performs on the day and who fights the hardest on the day. We play a little bit differently and have a lot of possession of the ball. That is something which is not going to change.

“We want to keep our exciting style of play. We are going to go into the league on the front foot and try and take teams on.

“The first thing (about going up) is you have to make sure you stay in and you have to make sure you are in a good position. If you are doing well, they you can add to your squad in January with a bit more quality and then you start looking at the other end of the table.

“We are not going in there to survive, we are going in there to compete so the first aim is to get enough points to be in this position (League Two) next season but we are confident we can go in there and compete.”

The ball starts rolling a fortnight on Tuesday when Forest Green play the first of seven pre-season friendlies against non-league Bishop’s Cleeve before the league starts.