DAVID Hopkin intends to breathe some “freshness” into City with his backroom changes.

The Scot aims to add a sports science expert to his staff in the coming weeks.

He is also searching for a new goalkeeping coach after Steve Banks left Valley Parade at the end of last week.

Greg Abbott has returned to a recruitment role as well as Hopkin begins to stamp his own identity on the team around him.

Hopkin said: “I’ve looked at things and seen what I need. Sometimes you need to change.

“Steve is a fantastic person and so is Greg. But I look at what we need in the club now.

“We need a specialist person to come in on the fitness side of things and that’s something I’ve been working on. Hopefully that will be done in the next couple of weeks.

“We’ll also have to get someone in with the goalkeeping situation on the coaching staff.

“We might have to wait. It maybe into next week before I advertise it because I never thought about doing it and then having somebody ready to replace Steve.

“These things will take time and I need to make sure I get the right quality of people in as a goalkeeping coach and with the medical staff.

“As things have gone on, I just felt it was important that we need to change. We needed a different voice, a fresh voice, different things with different ideas.”

Hopkin confirmed he has the backing to make the changes from owners Stefan Rupp and Edin Rahic as well as Julian Rhodes. The former chairman was at Saturday’s FA Cup draw with Aldershot – his first City game since returning to the club in a consultancy basis.

Hopkin added: “They’ve said it’s my call and that’s fantastic for me. I want to take the club forward with a bit of freshness.

“Julian has been fantastic since he came in. I’ve spoken to him numerous times about different things already.

“He’s really supportive of what we’re trying to do and having him come back to the club is a real positive for everyone. The fans can see now that we’re trying to get everybody back onside.”

Hopkin was relieved to see City keep their name in tonight’s FA Cup second-round hat after grabbing a 1-1 draw in appalling conditions at Aldershot.

Nathaniel Knight-Percival headed the equaliser in a game the City boss felt should have been called off.

He said: “It was about showing the mentality to get something in the second half and they did it.

“We had to make sure we didn’t get beaten – and we’re still in the FA Cup.

“It was also a big plus getting Jim O’Brien back and young Danny Devine. It’s about momentum now.

“I just hope we don’t pick up any silly injuries and getting people back can make us stronger.

“We’ve had to get players fit and organise them but I feel we are getting there.

“We’ve got players coming back and got a structure at the club.”

Luca Colville and Kelvin Mellor could also be back in the reckoning by the end of the month.