Wright and Taylor will be ready to play for Corby

Tommy Wright will take part in pre-season training with what looks set to be a new-look Corby Town squad this summer.
Corby Town boss Tommy Wright says he will be fit and ready to play for the club next season if requiredCorby Town boss Tommy Wright says he will be fit and ready to play for the club next season if required
Corby Town boss Tommy Wright says he will be fit and ready to play for the club next season if required

The Steelmen boss made his first moves in the transfer market since the club’s relegation from the Vanarama National League North with three new arrivals coming through the Steel Park door this week.

Centre-half Brad Gascoigne has returned for a third spell with the club while midfielder Reece Webb and winger Femi Orengua also agreed one-year contracts with the Steelmen.

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Add youngster Danny Draper penning a new deal to that and it adds up to a productive week.

It seems a real change in direction is in the offing with Wright’s squad set to train full-time next season in what looks like being a campaign in the Evo-Stik Northern Premier League Premier Division.

The real experience is likely to come from the manager himself and newly-appointed assistant Cleveland Taylor.

And while the main focus will be on a youthful squad, Wright insists both he and Taylor will be ready if needed.

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“We have got a hotel with a gym that we can use and I fully intend to use it,” said Wright, whose attempt to play during his team’s battle against the drop was ruined by a hamstring injury last season.

“I’m feeling like I am ready to run around a bit again so I will take part in pre-season, I will play in some matches and I’ll be ready if I am needed. Hopefully, that won’t be the case.

“But Cleveland and myself were talking and, particularly at the start of the season, there are a lot of matches and that may be when we are needed, just to freshen things up.”

Wright, meanwhile, believes youngster Draper is captain material for the Steelmen.

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Having skippered the academy team last season, Draper was given his chance in the first-team during the run-in and captained on three occasions.

The Corby boss will hold fire on naming next season’s skipper but he said: “Danny has definitely staked a claim, he was the captain of the academy team and he did that with a lot of pride and earned respect from his team-mates.

“I think giving him the armband during the run-in produced an improvement in his performances, which was interesting to see.

“He obviously had other appearances but I think those three games when he was the captain really showed what he is capable of.

“And it also showed that having the armband meant a lot to him. First and foremost, Danny has signed up for next season and it is a big opportunity to move his game on.”