CORSHAM Town are aiming for a season of stability after manager Nigel Tripp overhauled the squad during the summer, bringing in a total of 17 new players.

Last season the Southbank club enjoyed a top-10 finish, under the guidance of Jeff Roberts, registering 60 points from their 40 league games, but Tripp says he will be happy if his side avoid the lower reaches of the table this term.

New players include Booker Woodford from Trowbridge Wanderers, Sam Thompson from Chippenham Park and Spanish strikers Alajando Ruiz and Angel Martinez.

Ruiz and Martinez have joined the side after turning up at training, both players impressing the manager so far in pre-season.

“It’s a completely new side to last year, it will be a big test for some of the players because they haven’t played at that level before,'' said Tripp, who took over after the departure of Roberts to Highworth Town.

“I want to make sure that we don’t get relegated, with the new side we need to stabilise the club a little bit.”

Tripp has lost key men in Harry Myles, Matty Jenkins and Alex Hammond meaning his new recruits need to get together quickly, but believes his players are more than able of doing so.

“It’s about getting them (the new players) to play together, they have all trained hard and they have a good team spirit. It will take a few games to do that but they are more than capable.”

Tripp's troops first opponents are Chippenham Park on Tuesday evening, but the Corsham manager isn’t too concerned with how his side start their campaign.

“I’m looking forward to it but the moment I’m not too bothered about how we start, I’m more interested in where we finish, we are going to have a good spell and a bad spell it just depends which one comes first,'' he added.

“Our first game is midweek against Chippenham Park which is a shame, but it will be a test and hopefully a fair reflection on us and the work we have been doing.”