Captain impressed by AFC Telford's new recruits

That is the view of new captain Simon Grand ahead of tomorrow's first pre-season friendly against Shawbury United.

Manager Liam Watson has brought in 14 players following his arrival at the club in May.

And one of the big challenges during pre-season will be getting his newly-assembled side to settle as soon as possible after a busy summer of change.

Much has been made of the fact that several of the new recruits have played under Watson at his former club Southport.

But Grand, a former Sandgrounders skipper, believes talent and temperament – not familiarity – will be the key factors for the Bucks early in the campaign.

He said: "I don't think it is anything to do with the fact that we all played together at Southport. I think it is just the players that the manager has brought.

"These players are not just Conference North or Conference National level players, there are a lot of lads here who could play league football.

"They could go out there at the start of the season and be comfortable and fit into teams. It's the players he has brought, not where they are from.

"Obviously, it helps with a lot of us knowing one another, but, once you have been in football a while, everyone knows everyone anyway from playing against them or with them.

"So I just think the characters and the level that the players are at makes a massive difference."

Grand and his team-mates will face their first test as a unit tomorrow when they welcome West Midlands League Premier Division side Shawbury United to the New Bucks Head, kicking off at 7.45pm.

The Shropshire Senior Cup quarter-final will be the first of up to nine pre-season matches for the Bucks prior to their Conference North kick-off at home to Workington on August 17.

Admission tomorrow night will be £5 for adults and £2 for concessions.