MANAGER Paul Braithwaite has had to completely rebuild his Wootton Bassett Town squad after all but one player left the club.

After Jeff Roberts resigned at the end of last season and Braithwaite made the switch from Fairford Town, the new boss was only left with defender Steve Yeardley from the previous regime.

And while Braithwaite said that he was only likely to bring one or two players with him from Cinder Lane, that has not been the case.

“Originally, I was only looking at couple of the lads, but that has changed - there are five or six here now,” Braithwaite said.

“The squad at Bassett is completely different to the one that was here last year.

“When we came in there were four or five of the players that I really wanted to keep and for one reason or another I’ve only got one.

“There were a couple of lads that we in the reserves last year who have come into the firsts which I’m happy about as they are big, big Bassett men.”

While Braithwaite admits that this summer has been frustrating, he says that there have been no problems with how the team is coming together.

“The lads are all working for each other,” Braithwaite said. “We haven’t got a budget here this season and all the lads are fighting for each other and not what they can get - they are all gelling together nicely.”

Bassett are in pre-season friendly action tonight when they face Western League First Division outfit Devizes Town at the Corinium Stadium in their fourth game of the summer.

“I wasn’t at the club when they pre-season programme was worked out, but I’m happy with what we have had,” Braithwaite said.

“We have had some tough games and they have all been competitive which will help us when they season starts in a couple of weeks.”