NEW Gainsborough Trinity midfielder Leon Hibbert was Brian Little's number one target as the Blues boss plots his challenge for promotion from Blue Square Bet North next season.

The powerful midfielder was a mainstay of a successful Corby team that just missed out on the play-offs last term and has been lured to Lincolnshire with team-mates Leon Mettam and Paul Mayo.

Little revitalised the Blues from a desperate position in the relegation zone just before Christmas to a comfortable spot just below mid-table in May, finishing the season with just three defeats in 12 games.

However, while Trinity showed the potential to play attractive football, at times they were found wanting from a physical point of view.

Little hopes the arrival of 6ft 4ins Hibbert and that of fellow midfielder Emeka Nwadike from Eastwood Town will bolster the Blues' midfield and transform the Trinity engine room.

"If I had a number one target, it was Leon Hibbert," said Little.

"He has been courted by many teams in the Conference and the Football League, but he wanted to remain a part-time player because of his job.

"He has to travel a bit to play with us, but he had the right attitude and everything about him suits what we are trying to achieve at Gainsborough.

"He is tall and strong and has a presence in midfield.

"I have also signed Emeka Nwadike and both are no-nonsense players. They are similar to Mark Greaves, who did very well in there last season and has signed with us again.

"With the arrival of Leon and Emeka, I can change the way we play, with two sitting midfielders.

"This will allow someone to play behind the striker and I think we will be a difficult team to play against."

Hibbert, Nwadike, Mettam and Mayo have been joined by striker Jefferson Louis and young defender Luke Waterfall but Little may still add to the mix with a smattering of non-contract players.

"We have a group of 17 players who are contracted and we might need a couple more on non-contract terms," revealed Little.

Such was the form of his side in the second half of the season that the former Aston Villa boss did consider sticking with the side that finished the campaign strongly.

However, he feels his new additions will add an extra steel to his side.

"During the final couple of months of the season a lot of people would have been quite happy to keep that Trinity team together," said Little.

"That did cross my mind and I did not dismiss it but I always had five or six targets in mind.

"I managed to get them. We had a couple of setbacks along the way but in the end I have probably changed the format of the group.

"We are physically stronger as a unit now.

"Last season, no one ever outplayed us, but I don't think there will be many teams that outmuscle us now, either.

"That's the track I wanted to go down.

"With the players we have brought in I am feeling fairly confident that we can be challenging towards the top of the league."