HELSTON Athletic manager Steve Massey says his two newest signings will give him a ‘lovely headache’ when the 2020/21 season comes around.

Massey added St Austell duo Jordan Dingle and Will Tinsley to his squad on Wednesday, with the pair bolstering what is already a squad brimming with talent.

While he will have the task of keeping all members of his squad happy, Massey insists that he will always need to have players ready to step in when the inevitable injuries and suspensions arise.

He will also need to fend off interest from other clubs, with the Blues boss revealing that he had four separate approaches for his players in just one day recently, with three of those from clubs in a higher division.

READ MORE: Blues bolster squad with double signing from league rivals

“My experience of the last 30 years or so of semi-pro management is you can’t ever have too many of good quality footballers in your squad,” he said. “Who would have foreseen the injury to both Josh Storey and particularly Liam Eddy last year? It just comes out of the blue.

“To be perfectly honest, it’s a lovely headache. I’d much rather have that than be scratching around for cast-offs from other people, particularly when you get the quality that we’ve just picked up from St Austell.”

He added: “I have a squad that is literally filled with players who, if any single one of them became available, any of the teams in the league wouldn’t turn down and take and I think we’re in a real special position here at Helston and I’m really looking forward to it.”

Massey also spoke of his pleasure at getting his signings in early this year, as opposed to “anxious” waits for players to sign as in previous years.

He referenced the triple signing of Ed Timmons, Rob Wearne and Tom Whipp from Falmouth Town in 2017, when all three players moved on before the first game of the season.

“I’m really fortunate this year,” he said. “It’s probably one of the best close seasons I’ve felt because you’re always anxious.

“Last year I was trying to get five signings in and you’re always anxious until they do sign, and even when, as has proved in my first year here at Helston, even when they agree to sign they still don’t pull a shirt on for you!”

Massey also noted that his side’s fantastic season last time out played a big part in his more relaxed off-season, with the club finishing the 2020/21 season as the South West Peninsula League Premier West leaders.

He used the signing of Tinsley as a prime example, revealing that the former St Austell man had turned down a club in a higher division to sign for Helston.

“I have players that want to come to Helston now,” Massey said. “I don’t really have to cast the net out as I certainly tried to do without much luck at all in my first season here.

“I must have spoken to 15-20 players during that first pre-season and everybody was always respectful and said, ‘Maybe next year, Mass’, and now it’s come full circle.”

He added: “It is a lovely position to be in but, again because I’ve been in football long enough to know you don’t ever get used to it. You start getting complacent in football, particularly as a player but also as a manager, you get tripped up. Be ahead of the game, and I think that’s where we are at the moment.”