PAUL Carden admits Warrington Town need “a significant amount” of new players ahead of the new Northern Premier League season.

As the squad returns to pre-season training, Carden and the club are working away in the background to bring fresh blood to Cantilever Park.

While several players have left, a core group of players who have been with the club for the past two Covid-curtailed seasons remain while there are some trialists currently training with them in the hope of earning deals.

Full-back Eddie Clarke, midfielder Luke Duffy and striker Jordan Buckley are the first three of last season's squad to be confirmed as staying on for the coming campaign, with more expected to follow.

Carden highlighted the midfield as his priority area for recruitment, while bringing in a new goalkeeper is also high on the to-do list.

However, he also admits that some players from last season’s squad may not be around when the new campaign kicks off on August 14.

“There will probably be a couple more that leave. There’ll be some we decide to let go,” he said.

“Players come and go in football and that’s part of what happens.

“We’ll move on and sign some players to replace them and hopefully improve on them.

“We’re basically decimated in the midfield, so that’s a key area and the goalkeeping situation is key as well.

“We’ve spoken to players in both areas but we’re always looking to add quality in whatever position as we want to improve.

“We have three good centre-halves but if someone comes available who’s better, we will try and sign them.”

Yellows were fourth in the NPL Premier Division table when last season was curtailed having been third when a similar fate befell the 2019-20 season.

However, Carden says he was not convinced by the performances his side were putting in and that new players are necessary to drive higher standards.

“We need a significant amount anyway as we need to be better,” he said.

“Even though we were up there last season, we weren’t right. We’ll be looking to add not just numbers but quality.

“If it takes us fewer numbers to add that quality then that’s what we’ll have to do.”