Town sign quartet in big summer shake-up (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Town sign quartet in big summer shake-up

9:45am Thursday 17th July 2008 in Football By Nick Mashiter

Football: Devizes Town have continued their summer recruitment drive ahead of their first pre-season game on Saturday.

The Nursteed Road outfit have snapped up Melksham Town midfielder Shaun Percival and right-sided Kieran Baggs from Trowbridge.

Dan Powell has returned to the club from Bromham after a two-year spell away and has been followed by striker Jamie Mullings.

Striker Dan Sloan has also re-signed after rejecting the invitation to go to pre- season training with Chippenham Town.

All could feature when Devizes start their pre-season fixtures at home to Gillingham Town on Saturday followed by Tuesday's home clash with Wantage.

"I am expecting big things from them this season. We can be a match for any team in the league," said joint first team boss Kevin Whitbread.

"They have all gelled very well. We had a squad game on Saturday and the way they played together was very good."

But Whitbread, who manages the side with Shaun Moffat, says they have not stopped wheeling and dealing yet.

"We have got competition for every single place and we are still hoping to get four more within the next week," he said.

They have been moulding the side to their ideals and Whitbread says he cannot wait for the start of the campaign to see them in competitive action.

"We are still looking at August 9," he said. "Hopefully we won't be too far away from a side by then and have everyone signed on.

"People here have started to commit themselves and hopefully will do well."

Moffat and Whitbread succeeded Steve Hale in the Devizes hotseat at the end of last season.