Stowmarket Town manager Rick Andrews believes being able to keep the majority of last season’s squad together is a positive for the Thurlow Nunn Division One team.

Only captain Ben Garnham has yet to re-sign for the Gold and Blacks with the midfielder set to decide at the weekend whether to stay with Town or return to former club Felixstowe & Walton United.

Star striker Wayne Proctor, who has plundered 63 goals in 86 appearances for the club, has also committed for another year, while Tom Bradlaugh, Josh Capocci and Josh Cheetham have joined the club from Thurlow Nunn Premier Division outfit, Whitton United.

“We have managed to keep the majority of last season’s players, we have brought the three lads in from Whitton, and there is a possibility that we may sign three more from Premier clubs,” said Andrews.

“I think the players realise what we are trying to do at the club.”

Garnham was one of last season’s key performers and Andrews has not ruled out keeping hold of the experienced midfielder.

“Ben has had the opportunity to go to Felixstowe and he is training with them as well as us,” added Andrews, who handed 44 players their debuts last season.

“It comes down to the boy and what he wants to do.

“We have given him the space he needs and he has been very open about training with both clubs.

“I think the fact that we are still in with a fighting chance of signing him at this stage though, with a Premier side that did so well last season, shows that we are going in the right direction.”

Town finished sixth-bottom last season, drawing just one game and conceding 94 goals in 36 games, but Andrews is confident of better times this term.

“The belief last year was to do better than we did the previous year,” explained the Stowmarket manager.

“We did not get to the level we would have liked, but it is a tough, unforgiving league.

“We will definitely be stronger than last year but anyone can beat anyone in this league and the key is to get a level of consistency in our performances.”

He added: “Every manager will say that they want to win the league.

“We were competitive in 90% of our games last season and we want to improve again.

“We should have banked 10 to 15 more points last season.”