MELKSHAM Town manager Kieran Baggs says he is delighted with the triple addition to his squad as the club prepare to step up to the Southern League.

After sealing promotion from the Toolstation League Premier Division last season, Baggs is keen to get to work and assemble a competitive group for next year.

Kyle Phillips, Ross Lye and Mark Cooper are the club’s latest recruits, as Baggs begins to prepare a squad who are capable of securing safety in the Southern League,

“We have got more through the door on Thursday, Kyle Phillips is someone we have just signed from Frome Town and I think he has been playing in the Southern League since he was about 17,”

“It’s a fantastic acquisition for us and I know that he turned down big money from other clubs to play at Melksham.

“The lads we have at the club all live locally and we are fortunate to have so many players who live near who are good footballers as well.

“That is always good to see, that players are willing to look past a wage packet and play at a good facility in front of a lot of fans.

“It’s refreshing for them to take that approach so credit to him, credit to his attitude and credit to his ambition.

“Facilities and location play a massive part, but so does the fact we get such a good gate of supporters at the weekend.”

Baggs, who led the club to promotion during his first year in charge, says he is now trying to change the mentality of the squad, as they aim to solidify their position.

“I sat down with Darren Perrin (chairman) on Tuesday and we were looking at our aims for the season, we want to establish ourselves in the Southern League,” he said.

“Obviously, there will be times where we will upset one of the big teams but I think ultimately we will have to avoid relegation and push on the season after.

“It’s a hard one to get your head around. We have to be realistic, you can’t go around saying we are going to get promotion or the play-offs because we aren’t going to do that.

“Melksham have always been a club who’ve been top of the pile in the Western league and now everything is changing. We have to move on now, not just as a team, but as a club and a business.”