PLAYER-COACH Aaron Nell will find space on the Swindon Wildcats roster for quality new British signings, should they become available during the off-season.

Including himself, Nell has so far signed up a dozen players to his 2019-20 squad, although all but import Tomasz Malasinski were on the Cats’ books last season.

Nell is currently seeking the second permitted import recruit to go alongside Polish forward Malasinski and says that bit of business is his top priority.

The club also remain in discussions with several other members of last season’s squad over fresh deals for next term, and Nell is more than open to the prospect of bringing new British talents to the Link Centre too as Swindon prepare to rise into the newly-formed National League.

“We are talking to people. We are just finalising other returning players and making sure everyone is happy to come back,” said Nell.

“We have got another import player to sign and we are always open should another good British player become available.

“That is something we will always look at it, and we got a lot later stage in the summer this time last year when we signed Sam Jones.

“The import signing is obviously the big signing to make, and hopefully we can do a good job with that, but we are always looking at people and potential signings.”

Nell is happy with how his summer recruitment drive has gone so far, with negotiations having been smooth between the club and those players from last season’s roster already signed up for next term.

The Cats coach is disappointed to lose the services of Sam Jones to Fife Flyers, although the D-man had made the club aware of his intentions to step up an Elite League club for the new season well in advance.

Nell said: “I am happy with how things have gone so far in terms of signings.

“Sam told us in January that he was going to be looking to go to the Elite League, so we were planning for that.

“There might have been a situation where he came back – and we’d have loved to have had him – but we weren’t planning to have him.

“Now it is about trying to bring back the British players we have and making sure we have a settled squad for the new season.”