Worcester City agree new deals with eight players

Worcester City boss Carl Heeley has agreed deals with eight of the team who just missed out on the Blue Square Bet North play-offs.

Midfielders Tom Thorley and Matt Birley join top scorer Mike Symons and utility player Rob Elvins in signing new deals.

Centre-back Jacob Rowe and striker Michael Taylor have also put pen to paper on new deals, as have goalkeepers James Dormand and Matt Sargeant.

Heeley does not expect too much squad rebuilding this summer.

And, after defying the bookmakers' tag of pre-season relegation favourites to finish seventh, Heeley suggests that this sense of continuity could be crucial to his side making another serious promotion push next term in what will be their final season at St George's Lane.

"In a perfect world, we'd keep everybody we want to keep and swap the ones we feel haven't quite worked," Heeley told BBC Hereford & Worcester.

"There are not going to be too many of them but, whatever happens, there are a lot more players want to come and join Worcester City now.

"We are seen as a side that can challenge next season so we're in a strong position.

"We have had numerous phone calls from players who want to come and join us."

Heeley knows well that City cannot always match the financial rewards on offer from other Blue Square Bet North clubs, but they work hard to ensure the players come into an environment in which they can flourish and further develop their careers.

"All we can do is make them enjoy their football, which they have clearly done this season, and look after them by sticking to their deals that have been agreed, which we have done," added Heeley.

"Hopefully they will see that, as a seventh-placed side just missing out, we can move on next season and bridge that important little gap.

"That is the hardest bit to bridge but, hopefully, they will want to be a part of that, and why wouldn't they?"