FROME Town will head into next season without the services of defender Mark Cooper, who has moved to Evo-Stik League Southern Premier Division rivals Weymouth.

The 23-year-old full-back, who came through the youth ranks at Bristol Rovers and first joined the Robins on loan in 2010, has had two spells at Badgers Hill and took the manager’s player, players’ player and supporters’ player of the year awards at Frome’s end of season awards ceremony.

But Cooper doesn’t look likely to add to his 152 appearances and seven goals for Robins next term after joining Dorset outfit Weymouth.

Meanwhile, a clutch of other players have opted to exit Frome already this summer, with veteran defender Anthony Tonkin and full-back Kris Miller departing, whilst midfielders Dylan Bonella and Brandon Mundy will join newly re-formed outfits Hereford and Salisbury respectively.

But Robins manager Adrian Foster, who won’t be able to register new signings with the league until July 1, says that the lion’s share of last season’s squad will be opting to remain at Badgers Hill for the upcoming campaign.

Foster said: “There will be a few changes this season, with a handful of departures, but we are looking to strengthen anyway.

“We have been speaking to the existing squad and the vast majority have said they will sign again which is good news. A couple are considering offers from elsewhere but we are hopeful they will stay with us as well.

“We always knew that Tonks (Tonkin) would probably be with us only till the end of season while Dylan’s attitude and commitment last season was second to none.

“Just before the end of the season, we also made the decision to let Kris go, so it does free up a few spaces for new faces but we would like to thank all these players for their efforts while they were at Frome.”