Bucks add to squad

The 29-year-old spent eight seasons with the Spireites, making over 300 league and cup appearances before joining Grimsby Town, for whom he played in the FA Trophy matches against the Bucks last November.

His formative years were spent in his native Scotland with Stenhousemuir and Falkirk, before moving south to join Bolton Wanderers.

His partner in central midfield for the second half of Tuesday night’s 3-0 friendly win over NCEL outfit Worksop Parramore was Matt Thornhill, who has also signed forms for the new season.

Likewise, central defender Ash Palmer, who had an impressive end of season after coming to the Silverlands from Droylsden, but who had to retire from the action on Tuesday with a dead leg after a collision.

Also starting the match in central defence was the other new recruit Tim Ryan, who joins the club from Bradford Park Avenue, where he finished the season after leaving his post of player/assistant manager at Stalybridge Celtic.

The veteran Ryan first played for the Bucks in the 1990s before leaving for the first of two spells with Doncaster Rovers. He has also played for Southport, Peterborough United, Boston United and Darlington.

This takes to nine the number already signed for the new season, with additional signings expected in the coming days.

At Parramore on Tuesday, headed goals either side of half-time by last season’s leading scorers, Lee Morris and Mark Reed respectively, put the Bucks firmly in control of the friendly, hastily arranged after Mansfield Town had cancelled the previous evening’s fixture.

Reed added a close-range strike to complete the scoring.