MANAGER Adam Flint has been busy building his Witham Town squad ahead of their first pre-season outing of the summer this weekend.

While a lot of teams began their pre-season games last weekend, Witham have waited a week and kick-off with a trip to face Thurlow Nunn League premier division side FC Clacton on Saturday.

The game has been switched from the Seasiders' usual home at the Rush Green Bowl to Tendring Education Centre in Jaywick Lane, Clacton, and Flint expects to take a strong side over to the coast.

He has been busy adding names - some who fans will recognise and a few new ones - to his squad, including one who will be making a Witham comeback this season.

Australian midfielder Elliott Ronto has re-signed for the club after a spell in the Vanarama National League South with Bishop's Stortford and the Witham boss was delighted to have landed a key asset.

Flint said: "Elliott went to Bishop's Stortford after being with us last year and went back to Australia after the season ended, but he came back last week and trained with us, so we're happy to have him.

"He's signed on now, which is great.

"I know he does want to play at a higher level, but he's said he wants to come back with us and we want him, especially having lost Spider (Ryan Charles) as it leaves a gap in that midfield.

"I think some of our best performances last year were ones when Elliott was available for us.

"He scored a great goal at Maldon and he scored in the last minute in the FA Trophy to get us through and he was excellent when we won at Bury and Bowers.

"He is a big player for us.

"He creates things and I know that if other clubs had been aware then I'm sure they would have loved to have got him."

Alongside Ronto in re-signing from last year's squad are Lance Akins, triple end-of-season award winner John Watson, Max Bradford and Nathan Koranteng.

Flint added that he expected more names to join the list of those having signed on ahead of the weekend trip to FC Clacton.

He said: "I'm hoping to get the remaining ones sorted before Saturday; I've had people agree verbally, but it's just getting the paperwork arranged."