After six more new players were announced over the course of the weekend, Cambridge City manager Jamie Cureton believes he is getting close to completing his squad.
The latest arrivals have taken the total of incomings to 11 with a couple more set to be confirmed later this week, ahead of Saturday’s opening pre-season friendly, with Southend United Under-21s travelling to Sawston for a behind-closed-doors game.
And former professional Cureton, who was appointed in mid-May, believes things are shaping up well ahead of the club’s return to the Pitching In Isthmian League North Division, following a lateral transfer from the Northern Premier League.
“So far I’m pleased with all the ones I’ve got in,” he said.
“There's another two to be announced this week and then I'm hoping to sign two or three more in the coming days so we're looking around 16 or 17 players.
"It's been a bit hectic but finally we're getting to the end where we've nearly got everyone in we want."
The latest confirmed additions features 21-year-old centre-forward Shane Temple, who began to flourish under Cureton at the end of last season at Maldon & Tiptree, Halstead Town’s goal-scoring winger Joel Older and 19-year-old central attacking midfielder Jack Thompson, who won promotion out of their new division with Bowers & Pitsea last term.
Pacey right-back Giani Ashley, 27, who previously had a spell with City, will add experience to a largely young group having returned from Grays Athletic.
Centre-back Jack Grosvenor and central midfielder Danny Norton complete the latest batch of signings and are ones Cureton knows very well, having been part of his Enfield side that won the Essex Senior League Premier Division in 2022/23.
And Norton, who is currently recovering from a knee injury that restricted his appearances last season after dropping down a level to join Saffron Walden Town, has come in with a dual role.
"He’s been out for a while but he’s also a trained PT (personal trainer) and trains a lot of non-league footballers and league footballers so I invited him to come in and be our fitness coach until he gets fit and then he’ll become part of the playing staff,” Cureton said of the player who became his captain at Enfield.
“I’m hoping he’ll be fit mid-August to September time, maybe sooner.
“He thought he’d need an operation but he doesn’t now.
"Because of his work he’s been working on it constantly with his rehab so he’s ahead of schedule.
"He’ll be a top player, he’s very good midfielder, very, very good energy and a leader as well, so he’ll be good to have on both sides to be honest.”
When coming through AFC Sudbury’s academy, striker Temple went on to have trials in the 2020/21 campaign at Glasgow Rangers, Sunderland, Doncaster Rovers, Oldham Athletic and Southend.
And Cureton is hopeful he can get the best out of him following the ex-Basildon United frontman only being credited with four appearances at Maldon & Tiptree last term, albeit it ending with four goals to his name.
He said: "I worked with him last year and he suffered with a little bit of confidence but I think with all his attributes and my expertise as a centre-forward, hopefully I can help him.
"But I think he has a real good chance, he’s still only young but has all the attributes of a very good centre-forward.
“When I got the role at (Maldon) at the back end of last season I gave him a lot more minutes and he started banging a few goals in so I knew there was a talent there.”
Temple’s arrival comes after fellow forward Brad Rolt’s exit to Grantham Town was confirmed, following a season which saw him score six goals.
Cambridge City had previously announced ‘keeper Tom Middlehurst, striker George Smith, central midfielder Alex Warman, fellow midfielder Jack Cousins and Jayden Randell have also come in.
