New Park Avenue boss Simon Collins has snapped up three players after just over a week in the Horsfall hot seat.

The former Huddersfield Town midfielder was named as John Deacey’s successor early last month but went on his family holiday soon after.

However, it has not taken him and his No 2 Peter Davenport, the former Nottingham Forest and Manchester United striker, long to begin their squad-building.

Collins said: “We’ve got Ben Scott, a goalkeeper from Stocksbridge PS and another couple of players to start the recruitment off.

“Rob Tonks will be joining us. He is a full back and he can play on either side.

“We also have Derrick Pickard coming to us, who was with Farsley Celtic last season before their untimely demise but I know him better from Huddersfield Town.”

Collins is doing plenty of work behind the scenes to ensure there are more new arrivals to follow.

He said: “I have been back from holiday ten days and already it seems like ten weeks because we have been that busy.

“We have been quietly going about our business and seeing who is available.

“We’ve already spoken to a lot of players and discussions with some of them are ongoing but it is always a bit up in the air at this time.

“It’s close season and a lot of people are going away on holiday before they come back and have a week or so’s rest before they get stuck into pre-season training.

“Some of the players we would like to bring in are holding out to see if a Conference club comes in for them. That is a normal situation because players talk to a handful of clubs and keep their options open right until the last minute.

“The clubs in the Conference obviously have a bigger pull than us but sometimes its how they feel about a club rather than what division they will be playing in.”

The new boss can’t wait to work with his new charges and intends to hit the ground running.

He said: “I’m looking forward to getting the players in for pre-season on June 26. It will be an early start but we like to do that.

“Some clubs come back late and go at it like a bull in a china shop and end up with a lot of injuries. We hope to avoid that by bringing them in early and gradually stepping the work rate up.”