BRANTHAM Athletic have bolstered their attacking options by bringing former Needham Market pair Regan Pelling and Taylor Bannister to the Leisure Centre.

The duo have put pen to paper at the Thurlow Nunn League premier division club and could soon be joined by wide man Elliot Johnson.

The former Harwich and Parkeston winger, who left the Royal Oak at the end of last season, was due to sign at training on Thursday night.

Manager Michael Brothers is delighted to recruit Pelling and Bannister and believes both will score and create goals for the Imps.

"I'm really pleased to get these boys on board and know them well, having played with them at Needham," he said.

"Regan's a young attacking player, equally comfortable out wide or behind the front man.

"And Taylor will be known to people in this area because of his time at Stanway Rovers.

"He didn't play last season because of injury but he's a young, hungry player with the right pedigree.

"If we can get the best out of him, he'll be an excellent addition."

Johnson has verbally agreed to join and the paperwork was due to be sorted on Thursday night.

"Elliot's agreed to come back to Brantham," added Brothers, who has retained all of last season's squad apart from departing trio Dan Rowe (university), George Clarke (Stowmarket Town) and Lamell Howell (Brightlingsea Regent).

"Again, he's an excellent player with the potential to be very, very good at this level.

"If we can get the best out of him, he'll be a huge signing - a really creative outlet who will score and create goals.

"We need that cutting edge."

Brothers is determined to have a successful season and hopes to bring more fresh talent to the club.

He is especially hopeful of landing another centre-half and another striker.

Reflecting on his summer squad-shaping so far, Brothers said: "It's going ok, although I admit I've lost out on three or four players I hoped to sign.

"That's partly down to geographical reasons, partly because of money and partly, in all honesty, because they've joined more established clubs than Brantham.

"Some were always long shots but overall I'm happy enough and we've got more boys coming along to training.

"I'd still like to sign another centre-half, to increase competition, and another reliable striker, who's hopefully going to score the goals to get us to the next level.

"We really want to be strong and competitive next season.

"Last year we were third in the table, in terms of the fewest goals conceded. It was a real strength of ours.

"But we were 12th in terms of the number of goals scored, so it's an area of concern and an area we need to strengthen."

Brothers will be joined in the dugout next season by his brother, and new assistant boss, Patrick Brothers.