htafc.com caught up with Town manager Stan Ternent this morning and he told us that competition for places will be the key to League One promotion this coming season.

The Gaffer has already brought four new players to Town during the closed season and he told the Club's official website that he is thrilled with his acquisitions.

"The expectation level is high here given the season ticket sales and it being the Centenary year and we have to be competitive. The only way to achieve that is to get a strong squad of players," Ternent explained.

"The four new players I have signed have all won promotion from this division, but that wasn't a necessary quality I looked for - it's that they are all very good. Andy Butler gives us real balance as a naturally left-sided centre-back, Jimmy Goodwin is a proven midfield player at this level who is a bit older than the existing quality we had here and Keigan (Parker) is a Billy Whizz up front who offers us some pace."

However, Stan was keen to stress that Parker should not be the only source of goals this season.

"I'm more than hopeful that Jevo and Danny Cadamarteri will score a few for us too, but I need to keep Danny fit. I've spoken to him about that and if he does, he will prosper at this level. That would be a massive step in the right direction for us. Everyone knows about Boothy and we've got another couple of lads here offering competition too. It's starting to take shape now."

One man who has been constantly linked with a move away from the Galpharm Stadium is striker Luke Beckett, but the Gaffer insisted that he would be happy to keep the former Oldham man at the Club.

"I spoke to Luke Beckett this morning and told him that I'm quite happy for him to stay here. Luke can score goals and if he wants to be part of the Club, that's fine by me; if he wants to do something else, I'll look at that and try to help him. The same goes for all of the players, but transfer fees and replacements will come into the equation."

He also revealed that he doesn't have just one formation in mind for his side.

"How we will play depends on how we evolve throughout pre-season and on the outcome of the other couple of 'irons in the fire' that I have. I still need to strengthen the squad a little more. We need to be able to play in three or four different ways so that we can take the opposition into account and figure out what is best for us.

"You have to play a system that suits your players. If you have a good squad of players who are versatile, you can play in several different ways.

"If we can avoid injuries and suspensions, then a loss of form doesn't really come into play. Players do go through bad patches during a season although it's not an exact science, but with competition for places somebody would simply come into their place.

"The transfer system remains open until the end of August; you can spend at haste, but repent at leisure. In my view, the four players I have signed at this football club are complete no-risk players and that's where I need to be. I consider myself lucky with the players I inherited here, but they will now be wondering whether they will get in the team; that's what I want. Having said that, in an ideal world I would want my squad completed now as I would get to spend more time with them in pre-season but it doesn't work like that. Experience has taught me to be patient."