Town assistant manager Chris Hutchings says he and boss Paul Jewell are looking to strengthen the spine of the team over the summer. Jewell has previously stated that the club are looking for around six signings during the close season.

Hutchings told the club site: "It's important to get the spine right, as it is in any successful organisation, and we're no different to that.

"We've identified a number of targets and that has been an ongoing process for some time now.

"It doesn't just happen now that the season has finished, we've been watching players throughout the season both at home and abroad.

"Ideally we would like to bring players in early, so that they can be around the squad in time for the start of pre-season, but we know that we may have to show a little bit of patience on that front."

The Blues squad are due back at Playford Road for the start of pre-season training on July 5th.

Photo: Action Images

casanovacrow added 13:25 - May 21 will be hard to strengthen the spine when other teams will be willing to pay a proper price for players if they are actually any good. fingers crossed we don't just end up with the players no1 else wants
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bedsitfc added 13:34 - May 21 everyone keeps we will end up with the players nobody else wanted but ian hollaway got blackpool into the premier league with cast offs and freebies. its not just about quality (but it helps) its about making a team.
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BlueBailey24 added 13:42 - May 21 well said bedsitfc. Ian Hollway worked wonders with players which no-one batted an eye lid to. we just need a couple of hard workers and I know it is such a cliche but we really just need players to gel.
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walberswick added 13:46 - May 21 You need to get a spine , Chris.
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singingtheblues added 13:48 - May 21 So it's 6 new players now - creeping up - what happened to careful signings & a squad of 20?
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walberswick added 13:59 - May 21 If its so important to get a spine, how is it after 18 months we haven't gat any players in these positions?
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Wickets added 14:01 - May 21 We need a spine brilliant, see my posts for the last 2 years!!!
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ian_marshall added 14:03 - May 21 Lol @ you need to get a spine, chris.
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ian_marshall added 14:06 - May 21 Your still a tw@ though walberswick.
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Mr_Evans added 14:21 - May 21 My team for next year; New GK Edwards/new RB, New CB, Smith, Cresseell Hyam sitting deep* Bullard or Drury pulling strings in the middle* JET, Martin Chopra Subs; ALB Stevenson Deleaney Lawrence New DEF New MID New CF That's your 6 new players, and you could do that spending less than £3m
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Mr_Evans added 14:22 - May 21 My team for next year; New GK Edwards/new RB, New CB, Smith, Cresseell Hyam sitting deep* Bullard or Drury pulling strings in the middle* JET, Martin Chopra Subs; ALB Stevenson Deleaney Lawrence New DEF New MID New CF That's your 6 new players with a good mix of pace, age & experience, and you could do that spending less than £3m
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Suffolk_n_Proud added 14:30 - May 21 Lol i love the banter on here sometimes
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Sindre94 added 14:32 - May 21 For me, St.Ledger, the polish goalie Tomasz, a new central midfielder and Chopra could be a good spine. Hopefully we sign Gallagher
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walberswick added 15:08 - May 21 Are the "Fatboy Three" going to do a pre-season?
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riley26 added 15:09 - May 21 I may be mistaken Evans but you seem to be fielding a 4-2-3 formation. We need as much help as we can get, so 11 players on the field would be a start! New right back would be nice, but Edwards can do a job, provides a very useful attacking threat. Unless Chopra comes back in the best form of his life then he isn't really good enough, need somebody that can play 46 games and score 20+ a season. Likewise with Bullard, on his day he would transform our midfield, but just too unreliable, like the look of Drury, uses the ball well, and Hyam is impressive. Gallagher would give us more flare than Murphy does, scores some great goals too, would allow Martin to play in his favourite position. New Keeper. Edwards. New CB. New CB. Cresswell. Drury. Hyam. JET. Martin. Gallagher. New Striker.

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JackITFC96 added 15:16 - May 21 We don't seem to make any moves for anyone and they all wanna go elsewhere tbh, if we need to make signings look lower leagues or go for young prem players that arn't getting played. GK: Rb: Edwards, he will do. CB: CB:Smith LB:Cressy CDM: Hyam Cm's: Bullard/ Stevenson , Drury CAM's: Martin, JET ST: Chopra/Scotland/ Someone new
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bluey123 added 15:27 - May 21 What a load of rubbish 18 months and no closer to a decent team no GK,RB RCB,CM,LM and big S utter rubbish from one of the worst manager and set of coaches in football .
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Special_A added 15:46 - May 21 If we sign Ward the club are serious. Statement signing, beating competition and would no doubt help us sign others!
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sotd78 added 16:01 - May 21 A spine No sh't Sherlock Goalie, Centre half, midfield dynamo, winger, centre forward the rest falls in place. Bobby Robson did that within six months of arriving. Why are we still foundering around three years after Magic left....?
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tim added 16:06 - May 21 There's nothing like over-delivering.
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TractorClarke added 16:38 - May 21 riley26 are you joking about Chopra not being good enough?! Not being funny but considering he was in rehab for an addiction and in and ot of the team due to fitness he still got double figures, i really wish people would stop giving him a hard time, if the fitness training that he is on goes well and he comes back in better shape then we have our 20 goal a season man for sure.

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ryan_tractorboy added 16:50 - May 21 We need to go 4-4-2, Chopra is been our top scorer since a certain mr bent if im not mistaken with all his off field problems.
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BlueBoots added 16:55 - May 21 I make it we need 3 signing for our first XI... ...a goalkeeper who's better than ALB, a right-sided centre-back who's better than Delaney / Smith, and an experienced midfield destroyer who can spot the danger when Edwards / Cresswell bomb forward (and pass on a few tricks of the trade to Hyam) ...and maybe a couple more squad players.
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jas0999 added 17:08 - May 21 Agreed. But that should have happened last Summer! A GK and a couple of CB's were a must then! Instead we relied on loanees and an injury prone freebie for those key positions. PJ failed last Summer - lets hope he has learnt for this pre-season!
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Warkys_Tash added 17:20 - May 21 Grant Holt anyone? There are rumblings and grumblings going on north of the border..do we detect a season of discontent brewing at Carrow Rd? LOL http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/18144259 @Walberswick:I was enjoying your 'PJ head scratching' Avatar, can we have it back please?
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