NEW Rugby Town boss Carl Adams has already been busy preparing for the forthcoming 2018/19 season as he looks to guide his new club back up to level four of the non-league pyramid.
It has been just over a fortnight since the former Stratford Town manager made the switch over to Butlin Road and Adams has now named his playing-assistant for the new campaign after confirming ex-Valley favourite Justin Marsden will return to the club.
He has also secured the agreement from five further players to be part of the new-look Town squad who look set to take part in the United Counties League after it was announced Rugby were moved across from the Midland Football League in the FA’s provisional allocations.
The 34-year-old Marsden returns for a third spell at Butlin Road after scoring 68 goals in 260 games in his first two stints with the club between 2001-2005 and 2013-2015 and he now follows Adams across from Knights Lane to make a first move into a backroom role whilst also hoping to continue to contribute on the pitch too.
Marsden will be joined at Town by three more of last season’s regular Stratford line-up with central defender Loyiso Recci, full-back Lee Thomas and winger Simeon Tulloch all set to join their old boss.
The versatile Trey Brathwaite – who featured for Town under Gary Moran in 2016/17 and for Dave Stringer last season – has also agreed to return again to Town, with ex-Solihull, Bedford and St Ives keeper Matt Hill another one of Adams’ early captures.
The move into the UCL Premier Division – once ratified by the various leagues’ constitutional meetings – will see many new opponents for Town and comes after just one season in the MFL, which ended with a disappointing sixth place finish and the subsequent departure of Stringer from the Valley hot seat.
The club have also announced a provisional pre-season schedule which includes three home games against teams from higher levels of the pyramid.
Evesham, Alvechurch and Bedworth are scheduled to visit Butlin Road on July 21, 26 and 28 respectively with other away friendlies at Heather St John’s, Sutton Coldfield and Racing Club Warwick completing the current warm-up line-up on July 7, 14 and 24 respectively.
