BASINGSTOKE Town have announced an exciting new venture for next season, which will see the Dragons go full time.

They will also be looking to recruit the best young players released from southern league club to form the bulk of their squad.

Also being added into the mix will be some of Basingstoke Town Academy stars with the spine of the side being made up of experienced players, who are looking to get into coaching.

This of course this means most of the current squad will have to find new clubs and they were told about the new plan last night.

Town managerTerry Brown, who took charge last month is really looking forward to this new dawn at the club and said: "We want to make this club sustainable without needing to pump money into and this is a three year project to build a team of young hungry players, with three or four experience players, who will be players who want to get their coaching badges.

"The idea is getting under-21 players released from the likes of Reading, Southampton, Bournemouth and London teams who want to get back into league football. Along the way we will sell a few, but also build a backbone of a side which is very exciting."

"Some players develop later and being released does not make them a bad player. It may mean the club has three right backs and does not need another and often there is not a lot between any of the players.

Brown is also keen to use players from within the Basingstoke Town Academy and said: "Jason Bristow has done a superb job with the academy and we have three or four really good players and I will certainly be given two of them a start on Saturday against Truro with another on bench.

"It is now about the academy being an extension of the first team and players joining knowing they will be playing for the first team in the future."

Town have struck up a partnership with Wessex League side Alton and will be using their brand new Astro training facilities.

Brown added: "I am really excited about this working with young players every day. We may not be looking for promotion next season, but we are building something for the future of this great club."