SLIMBRIDGE chairman Barry Gay has backed manager Freddy Ward, the staff and players to push their club into the middle of the Evo-Stik League South, West table in the coming season.

The Swans begin their nine months of football next Tuesday when they launch the pre-season campaign with a trip to Gloucestershire County League outfit Stonehouse Town, a fortnight after they returned to training.

And Ward has already started signing and re-signing players for the squad – with more to come.

Slimbridge avoided relegation from the old Southern League Division One South and West last season, finishing just above Wantage Town but comfortably above the drop zone.

Now, with the Thornhill Park pitch looking much better than it has for a while, Gay hopes the club can push on under Ward although he admits this level in the football pyramid is probably as high as they will ever go.

Gay said: “We are looking at maybe six or seven new faces (players) and we are hopeful there will be a lot at training this season, more than there has been for a long time with the emphasis on youth.

“We are under no illusions about where we are. The fact that we are in this league for a third season is a massive achievement for this club in itself.

“We would like to consolidate but it is a tough league again with teams like Cinderford and Cirencester coming into it and Bristol Manor Farm. There are no easy ‘give me’ games and there will not be a Wantage or Bridgwater (the bottom two in the last campaign) this season.

“There is, though, only one relegated so we are in with a good fighting chance.

“Freddy is a good guy who is a superb motivator and turned it around last season. He kept us up safely by 13 or 15 points, something like that, so it is about if we can improve on last season’s position and see if we can get somewhere mid-table. That is the aim.”

Slimbridge now know their FA Cup preliminary and FA Trophy opponents.

The Swans play Cinderford Town at home in the Cup on August 18 and entertain Hampshire side Hartley Wintney in the Trophy on October 7.

Also, in the first batch of signings, Ward and new assistant manager Lee Driver-Dickerson have signed keeper Ollie Hall from Longlevens.

Club stalwarts Jack Twyman, Dean Turner and Adam Mace have also signed, along with Alex Hoyle, who rejoins the club after a spell at Taunton Town, and Nathan Payne, who renews his involvement with the Swans from last season.

The club have also welcomed Luke Payne and former Tuffley Rovers midfielder Henry Birkett onto their books.

Slimbridge host Gloucester City v Bristol Rovers on Saturday at 3pm.

Slimbridge play Gloucester City on July 25 admission is £6, (£4 concessions)

Meanwhile, Slimbridge are looking for a physio/sports therapist. Contact Colin Gay at Colin.Hamish@icloud.com or call 07702 070229.