Signings whet the appetite

After the European Championships provided fans in this countrywith an unexpected but welcome treat, it is back to the seriousbusiness of supporting our club sides and not anybody Germanymight be playing.

And for Bath City followers, the countdown to 2008-09 and theclub's second crack at Blue Square South began in earnest last weekwith three signings in the space of five days.

The trio - Ali Gibb, Stuart Douglas and Jamie Gosling - will joinfellow new boy Paul Cochlin and the remaining members of lastseason's squad at the University of Bath for City's first trainingsession tonight.

With the Conference releasing its fixture list early and thefirst pre-season friendlies scheduled for the week after next, theend of those barren, football-free weekends really is in sight.

And the heightened activity on the transfer front at Twerton Parkhas given fans plenty to look forward to ahead of the big kick-offon August 9.

Of course, only after that date can judgements be made about thesignings made by John Relish and Adie Britton - but the word fromthe management is that they have ticked a few of the boxes that wereleft blank in last season's narrow failure to make the play-offs.

Jim Rollo's fine performances at left-back made him an ever-present last season, but even Ronaldo needs competition to keephim on your toes and that arrives for the City skipper in the shapeof Paul Cochlin.

Stuart Douglas and Jamie Gosling will add a fresh injection ofpace and guile to the side, while Ali Gibb's crossing ability shouldfill the gaping void left by the exit of Mark McKeever.

A lack of goals cost City their place in the end-of-seasonlottery last term and the latter three men will be charged withimproving the situation.

As the only out-and-out striker to sign, all eyes are on Douglas,but he has bucketloads of confidence and the omens are on his side.

After all, Scott Partridge was an ex-League player struggling tofind the net at Weymouth when City signed him.

And nobody at Twerton Park will complain too much if historyrepeats itself.