Darlington return for pre-season training today with four new faces in the squad, but manager Mark Cooper says there is plenty of time yet for more additions.

The manager is not on the lookout for many more players as he is pleased with the talent within his squad and his recruitment so far.

He has attracted players that were in demand elsewhere but chose to sign one-year contracts at The Northern Echo Arena. Adam Rundle this week became the latest to join, following James Walshaw, Kris Taylor and Graeme Lee.

But with 37 days to go until the season starts at home to Braintree Town, Cooper points out that manner of Aaron Brown’s arrival last year was a prime example of late summer signing.

He said: “There’s plenty of time left yet. Look at how late we signed Aaron Brown last year and he was one of our better players last season.

“He came in not only after pre-season, but also after the first game of the season, so those players are out there.

“There’s not hundreds of them, but there are a sprinkling of them that have committed to go on trial at places and if they don’t get a deal at that club then we’re ready and waiting to get them.

“Some lads initially will say they either don’t want to drop into the Conference or don’t want to sign for Darlington and will get a trial at a League One or League Two club.

“After the first couple of weeks that club might say to him that he doesn’t fit into their budget or that they don’t think he’s the right player for them.

“By that stage most clubs have got no money left or have already signed a player in that position, and that’s when they come back into the equation for us.

“Our squad is already well-balanced with those that we’ve added. We’re flexible in terms of systems and how we want to play.

“We’re covered in more or less all areas and I could name a team now and four or five subs that I’m confident that would do well.

“If we were playing 4-3-3 tomorrow the three in the middle could be, for example, Jamie Chandler, Marc Bridge-Wilkinson and Kris Taylor – I don’t think there’s many teams in the Conference that would live with that one.”

Cooper offloaded a number of players at the end of last season so says he is under no pressure to further reduce squad numbers, but admits he is being careful with the sort of player he brings in.

Wary of making a mistake, he added: “I don’t have to get anyone out, I’m still well within budget but I want to make sure that any money that we spend, we spend really wisely.

“We don’t want to get to a situation whereby we get to Christmas and say ‘oh, we don’t want him now’.”

Darlington’s first pre-season friendly is at home to Newcastle United on Friday, July 15 (ko 7.45pm).