STOURBRIDGE boss Gary Hackett says the club is working hard to replace last season’s top scorer Karl Hawley.

The experienced forward has been appointed as first team coach at League Two side Mansfield Town this week after leaving the War Memorial Ground.

Hackett had offered a new deal to the target man over the summer but has also been making plans to find additional goalscoring options.

Hawley, 34, is expected to settle in to his new role at the Stags immediately after spending time their as a striker-coach in the last two months of last season.

A new forward arrival is already imminent at Amblecote and forms one part of a triple swoop including a defender and midfielder.

However, a second attacker is also in the pipeline following Hawley’s departure.

Hackett explained: “We have been working hard to replace Karl knowing he had other offers on the table. Two strikers will be added to the squad very soon.

“It has been a busy summer and things are starting to get done.

“We will have four or five new players in for when we play our first pre-season game against Leamington in a couple of weeks.

“Karl goes with our best wishes after a really good season for us. It was a move that was great for both parties.

“He came to us from Alfreton and was a little disillusioned at the time. We convinced him to come here and promised him he’d enjoy his football. I think we kept those promises and he rewarded us with a lot of goals.

“But we have to move on and will be bringing in replacements.

“We are a team that plays attacking football and creates a lot of chances, which is very appealing for strikers.”

The Glassboys will return to training this Saturday as their pre-season programme gathers pace.

“I’m looking forward to getting going again. The squad is already looking balanced and will be even stronger when four or five others get added,” added Hackett.

“It will be good to start work. We are all determined to build a promotion challenge once again.”

Any new arrivals will add to a host of last season’s squad members that have committed for another year.

They will join Junior Smikle, Kristian Green, Joe Hull, skipper Stuart Pierpoint, Tom Tonks, Leon Broadhurst, Justin Richards, goalkeeper Matt Gould, Dan Scarr, Matt Dodd and Chris Lait.