THERE will be some unfamiliar faces on the pitch for Mildenhall Town s home friendly against Cambridge United on Saturday. But manager Trevor Munns believes that the match will prove to be a useful outing for the club. He said: It will be a good work out

THERE will be some unfamiliar faces on the pitch for Mildenhall Town's home friendly against Cambridge United on Saturday.

But manager Trevor Munns believes that the match will prove to be a useful outing for the club. He said: "It will be a good work out for the players but hopefully we can also attract a big crowd and bring a bit of money into the club.

"We have a few trialists making an appearance so I am looking forward to seeing how well they do."

Munns has been organising the squad ahead of the match, as he explains: "Most of the squad are on contract so we have not had a lot to do but a few players have signed new contracts for next season."

Defender Simon Betts, left winger Alan North and young keeper Josh Pope, who turned down an offer from another club, have all pledged their services to Town ahead of the new campaign.

New signing Andy Claydon will be getting married on Saturday and so miss the Cambridge match, as will 'keeper Ben Nower, who will be best man at the wedding.

Therefore, Pope will take to the field for the Cambridge game and have an early opportunity to impress.

Munns said: "Potentially, we could make new signings but I have always aimed for a squad size of around 18 and we have that now.

"Niall Inman has had a groin operation this week and will be out for about two months. Both Craig Hammond and Andrew Eady have suspensions to serve early next season so we do need to have the players to come in and cover."

He added: "It will be hard to follow last season's success but if someone offered me 97 points again now I would take it."

TOWN'S match against Cambridge United at Recreation Way will kick off at 3pm on Saturday. This will be followed by home friendlies against King's Lynn on Saturday, July 14 (3pm), Cambridge City on Tuesday, July 17 (7.45pm) and Bury Town on Friday, July 20 (7.45pm).

MILDENHALL Town's annual meeting will be held at the clubhouse on Friday, July 13. The meeting will begin at 7.30pm.

SOHAM Town manager Ian Benjamin has revealed that new signing Martin McNeil, pictured, has the potential to become a club favourite.

The 26-year-old defender signed from Wisbech Town last week and Benjamin is delighted by the transfer.

He said: "I have been trying to get Martin at the club ever since we played Wisbech in the Cambs Invitation Cup last season.

"I think the fans will be impressed with him and he could be a good replacement for Paul Hill."

Hill, 34, left the club last month and McNeil, who was outstanding for Wisbech last season, has already had a positive impact at the club.

Benjamin said: "He is a great character in the dressing room and has mixed with the rest of the squad really well."

The Soham boss is also hopeful that he will complete more signings in the coming days, but he has remained tight-lipped on the players' identities.

Benjamin said: "If all goes well we will be signing a defender and a striker very soon. I am very pleased with the fact that we are attracting players who are established at this level of football."

Soham's existing players have also been putting pen to paper this week and training sessions have been encouraging for Benjamin, who said: "Our first priority during the summer was to get the likes of Scott Johnson and Simon Flanz to re-sign for the club.

"Lee Jordan, Paul Jones, Michael Simpson, Scott Cater, Brett Claydon and Charles Libam have all committed to the club for next season and I am absolutely delighted.

"It shows what a good spirit we have at the club when players want to stay with you."

He added: "Training has also gone really well and it was great to see Peter Hinde and Martin Bromwich back in action at the weekend.