HARWICH and Parkeston have been busy building their squad for the new season.

The Shrimpers have snapped up former Colchester United, AFC Sudbury and Hadleigh player Wayne Blackman.

And Mike Wallace will also have former Brightlingsea Regent Reserves skipper Jack Higgy in his squad, after he agreed to join the Thurlow Nunn League division one south club.

Harwich have also announced that they have welcomed Harry Banner, Rory Harman and Joe Knight back to the club for another season.

Meanwhile, Harwich have announced that they have hit their target of £4,000 for their training pitch and social club toilet refurbishment.

The donation page is open until July 13, with all money from now on going towards the club's ground and pitch maintenance and other cost throughout the season.

Harwich boss Mike Wallace said: "None of us need reminding how traumatic the last few months have been for everyone.

"As a Club a lot of work has been going on behind the scenes to improve the facilities at The Gwinnell and Sons Royal Oak to ensure a safe and better environment for our supporters and players to enjoy when normal services resume in the near future.

"The total refurbishment of our historic stand now fitted with 230 new seats was totally funded by the wonderful supporters of our Club.

"It is a facility that we are extremely proud to open for the forthcoming season and provides now a superb viewing point for everyone in comfort.

"The stand at the Main Road end has seen its roof repainted in the historic black and white and a new roof has been fitted to our ageing tea hut.

"There are still on going projects which we are generating support for to continue to move the facilities up to the levels necessary to preserve Harwich and Parkeston ongoing history.

"The support given by businesses in the Town deserves special mention especially in these difficult times and none of this would have been achievable without their support and that of our wonderful supporters.

"To see the enjoyment from the supporters and match day support after all our "terrible" years makes everyone's efforts to keep the Club in existence all worthwhile.

"Slowly with all your support we are putting this club back where it rightly belongs back at a senior level of football in this Country.

"The history of Harwich and Parkeston shows it to be the very first Club from England to play in Europe as in 1892 it crossed the North Sea to play Royal Antwerp.

"It also holds the record for one of the highest attendances at Wembley for the Amateur Cup Final 100,000 in 1953.

"You the supporters deserve the highest recognition for resurrecting this Club. You have supported in match day attendance and also donated regularly to our fund raising to improve our facilities for the next generation of Shrimpers.

"Currently many of you have donated to our ongoing project to our Crowd Funding Appeal to develop a training area in the ground near the dressing rooms and a facility that our youth teams will enjoy as well with the younger teams even playing their matches on it.

"Without your help none of this would be possible. On behalf of all the officials of the Club may I thank each and everyone that continues to support it.

"The future looks the best it has been for a very long time and I hope that all our collective efforts achieve the objective of ensuring Harwich and Parkeston has the facilities to move onto the next generation of Shrimpers! Thank you all!"