BRANTHAM Athletic joint-boss Michael Brothers feels his club are in a strong position in terms of shaping their squad for next season.

The Imps finished fifth in the Thurlow Nunn League premier division and capped their successful campaign by winning the League Cup silverware.

They will eventually need to bolster their numbers next term as Ben Newson is retiring and Jack Smith is going travelling at the start of October.

However, with a strong squad already at their disposal, Brothers says he and joint-manager Matt Carmichael can afford to take a "relaxed" approach in terms of bringing reinforcements to the Leisure Centre.

"Players have shown an interest and we've already had dialogue with three or four players," he said.

"We're also due to meet another three or four so soon it will be six or seven different conversations.

"But we're in a strong position because we don't feel we need to go out looking for new signings.

"We're happy with the squad we've got and proved what we're capable of last season.

"So instead of feeling a pressure to go out and strengthen, we're able to sit back and keep things quite low-key and relaxed in terms of shaping the squad.

"Rather than signing players, we'd rather invite them along to pre-season, so we can take a look at them and the other way round.

"We want players to buy into what we're trying to do here and understand what we want to achieve, but won't be bringing anyone into the club who's not better than we've already got."

Meanwhile, Brantham have some pre-season friendly dates in the diary.

First up is a home match against Aveley - managed by former Brightlingsea Regent boss James Webster - on Saturday, July 14.

They then host Regent on July 17 before making the short journey to Carmichael's former club, Harwich and Parkeston, on July 19.

Stansted pay a visit to the Leisure Centre two days later on July 21 before another home game against Holland FC on July 24.

Bostik League side Maldon and Tiptree are the visitors on July 26 and then Brantham head to AFC Sudbury on July 28.

In other non-league news, the FA confirmed the allocated positions for next season’s step five and six divisions last Friday.

As expected, Brantham will remain in the Thurlow Nunn League premier division alongside the likes of FC Clacton but Stanway Rovers have been moved sideways into the Essex Senior League.

The new Thurlow Nunn League south division will feature the likes of Wivenhoe Town, Halstead Town, Little Oakley, Holland FC, Braintree Reserves and former Essex and Suffolk Border League pair Harwich and Parkeston and Coggeshall United.