MANAGER Mark Collier says Chippenham Town would be set fair to start the new season tomorrow after making two more additions to his squad.

Goalkeeper Will Puddy and defender Kieran Parselle both agreed switches to the Bluebirds from Hereford and Gloucester City late last week ahead of the start of the club’s pre-season training programme on Tuesday.

However, forward Jake Jackson has headed out of Hardenhuish Park to join National League South rivals Gloucester.

Twelve months ago, Collier was preparing Chippenham for their maiden campaign at step two of the non-league pyramid following their Southern League Premier title-winning heroics.

With a season’s experience at this level in the bank, the Bluebirds boss believes his troops are well placed already ahead of the start of the competitive action on August 4.

“We are ahead of the game,” said Collier.

“The players that have stayed with the club ever since our promotion have got a year’s experience at this level, and the players we have signed this summer and before have all got experience of this level and higher.

“We are in a good place and now it’s about getting everything in place to make sure we are ready to go come the first league game.

“I think that will be it in terms of transfers. There is usually a fall-out from pre-season and players might become available that weren’t before.

“We will just wait to see what happens with that, but if the season was to start tomorrow, we would be in a good place with a squad capable of being competitive.”

Collier was thrilled to strike a deal with keeper Puddy, having been in need of a new number one after loanee Jared Thompson returned to parent club Chelsea.

The 30-year-old was previously at the Bluebirds during the 2011-12 season and arrives back at the club with Football League experience, having been at Bristol Rovers from 2014 to 2017.

Parselle also brings experience of the professional game with him, having started his career at Newport County.

Collier said: “I worked with Will at Swindon Supermarine a long time ago now and he has gone on to higher things.

“He has got a lot of experience and played quite a few games for Bristol Rovers, and played at Wembley in the National League play-off final for them a few years ago.

“We have gone from a very good inexperienced goalkeeper in Jared to a very good experienced goalkeeper in Will.

“He has come out of the professional game and I think his new working situation has helped us as he turned down other clubs to sign for us.

“Kieran has played in the Football League for Newport County and has played a lot of games at this level.

“He wants to get back into the Football League and thinks we would be a good stepping stone for him to do that.”