Liam Watson eyes five new faces for AFC Telford

The Bucks, who are today hosting Chester in the FA Trophy first round, are bottom of the table with more than half of the season gone.

And Watson is determined to bring in new players when the transfer window reopens in a bid to arrest their current slump.

He said: "It is hard to say how many I would like to get in because of the loan players we currently have.

"But you definitely need to start looking at bringing in five, and that would be all over the pitch, in all areas."

Work has begun to identify targets.

Watson said: "It is something that has been discussed but things change very quickly in football.

"It is all right planning for things in a month's time but you never know what is going to happen within that time.

"We have got people we are looking at and obviously we do need to bring in new players. I think they have got to be long-term signings.

"I have given (managing director) Lee Carter and the chairman names of players who I think will improve us."

The reopening of the transfer window cannot come quick enough for Telford, who have been hit by a wave of injuries this week.

Luton Town defender Andy Parry suffered a loan-ending groin injury on Tuesday evening against Welling.

Defender Rod McDonald was also injured in the warm-up before the same game, and centre-back Steve Akrigg then suffered a suspected ruptured cruciate knee ligament in the first half.

They joined defender Neill Byrne on the injury list. He has an ankle injury from the game against Barnet in early November.

Kristian Platt is not fully fit, after a hamstring injury, but was set to make the squad for today's game.

Versatile utility man Andy Owens has bolstered numbers by returning to the club following successive loans at Barrow and Stockport County.

But he is ineligible for today's match because he is cup-tied.

n Meanwhile, Telford's Conference Premier rivals Forest Green Rovers lost an appeal with the Football Conference yesterday.

The league rejected Rovers'' call to replay a match in which the club fielded an ineligible player – their 1-0 win at Southport on August 9.

Rovers have been handed a three-point deduction and a £500 fine.