Midfielder McBride is on his way back to Stute

Thomas McBride could be back at the Riverside Stadium next season, as Stute start intensive pre-season training later this month.

Kee is looking to have his players sign on the dotted line by their first pre-season session on Saturday June 21.

“I want everybody more or less signed by the week starting June 23,” he said.

“Then I will know what deck of cards I have got in terms of what players I have and what positions I feel we need to strengthen, so if players are going to drag their feet then the likelihood is that we will go and look elsewhere.

“There are players interested in coming in – whether they are the right players are not, time will tell, but we have to make sure that everybody is on the same page in terms of effort, commitment.”

One man who could be returning to the club is ex-Derry City man Thomas McBride.

The talented midfielder, who last season played for local Intermediate side Newbuildings United, looks set to sign for the Waterside men.

“Thomas fits our profile, in terms of that he’s been around a few clubs, he’s still young enough, has learned from his experiences and he comes into our budget,” he added.

“He’s keen to give it a shot – he was with the club before. We didn’t want him to go before but he did as he obviously got a better deal at Finn Harps then, but now he’s back and wants to give it a crack.

“He knows he’ll have a chance of playing Premiership football, and if he performs to a certain level then he could have a good healthy career ahead of him. That’s what he’s aiming for and hopefully he does the business.”

The Stute gaffer also wants to retain all of last season’s Championship One title winning squad, but he continues to concede that if players get a better offer elsewhere, then they will go with the club’s blessing.

“The plan is to re-sign all of last season’s squad, but I’m sure that there’s going to be interest in certain players but they have been valued and appreciated at this club and hopefully that’s enough for them to stay. It might not be and if they do move on, then they’ll move on with our best wishes, but we would like to retain all our key players.”

The Drumahoe man, who along with his coaching staff and committee members held an information meeting with the players at St Columb’s Park House on Monday evening, explained what he wants for 2014/15 campaign.

“The message was about plans what we need to do next season,” Kee said.

“We need to work hard; we need to increase our capacity on the training pitch and then obviously we need to increase our performances because we are going up another level.

“We have got a lot of young players who have got potential and we also have got a lot of quality players with experience.

“We just want to pull that altogether and make sure that everyone is fully aware of what’s required.

“I have used a term that ‘it’s a new book’ – we have closed one book and we are now starting a new book. We have to make sure that we have got the right type of player, the right type of person all working hard in the same direction for the club.”