Managing director John Nixon on player signings
United manager Graham Kavanagh is closing in on two more signings ahead of the return to pre-season training next week with the squad already taking a new shape with the summer agreements on Gary Dicker, Danny Grainger, Billy Paynter and Antony Sweeney already confirmed.
“There’s been a lot of work going on over the summer period and we’re starting to see the reward for that now,” managing director John Nixon said.
“It’s been another lesson in patience and persistence for us all, and we appreciate that it can get frustrating for the fans when they haven’t heard anything for a while. We’ve seen on so many occasions in the past, these things do take time and we believe our policy of saying almost nothing until the deals are confirmed is probably the best way ahead for all parties concerned.”
“A lot of the work on these agreements, and those still to come, has had to be done remotely due to holidays, courses and things like that, but that’s all part and parcel of the way the business works.
“Kav has done a lot of leg work, in terms of getting the signings over the line, and from there it’s a case of finalising the details before we all get ready to announce. We think, with the four already agreed, we’ve shown what we want to do this season. It will be more of the same next week if we do manage to get the two we’re after who, all being well, should join us in time for pre-season training.”
And on the situation with club captain Paul Thirlwell and midfielder James Berrett, he said: “We haven’t heard anything from James recently so, from my point of view, we are not in negotiation with him at all. I wouldn’t expect him back with us for pre-season with that in mind.
“The deal with Paul for a further year is agreed but, again, he is one who has been away on courses and family business. We’re comfortable with that and we’ll finalise the paperwork with him early next week.”