Experienced Cymru Premier right-back Luke Cummings has been impressed with the recruitment made by newly-promoted Pontypridd United.
Cummings, formerly of Carmarthen Town and Barry Town, along with his most recent club, Merthyr Town, made the switch to sign for Ponty this summer.
He’s included in a long list of new faces at the club ahead of their first top-flight campaign.
The likes of Ashley Morris, Joe Evans, Clayton Green, Kurtis Rees, Kieran Lewis, Owain Jones, Harry Irving, Danny Williams, Jarrad Wright, and Ben Ahmun have all put pen to paper at the USW Sports Park.
With the club’s new signings very much familiar to Cymru Premier fans, Cummings feels that Ponty have assembled a strong squad.
He said: “Having played so many years in the Cymru Premier, I’ve seen that every year gets harder and the standard gets better, so the recruitment is definitely really important this summer.
“The players that have been brought in have a wealth of Cymru Premier experience. It’s about balancing the new signings with the lads who have stayed on from last season.
“It’s a very talented squad at the moment with different attributes. I’ve been really impressed with the management, who have done a great job with the players that they have brought in, so it’s a credit to the club in what’s a really competitive time of the year.
“We’re in a good place as a squad, with maybe a couple more to add to it, but it’s a strong squad going into the season, so hopefully we can surprise a few.”
Among the new signings for the Dragons is former Barry Town United midfielder Green, who will be a well-known teammate to Cummings.
The right-back expressed that there are also familiar faces from his time at Carmarthen Town, who have made his transition into the club a smooth one.
“It’s great to be back with Clayts,” he began. “His energy is going to be massive for us this season.
“There are also some other familiar faces that I’ve played with over the years, so it’s great to be back with them, the likes of Jordan Knott and Dave Vincent. It’s been quite easy for me to settle in because of that.
“They welcomed me very quickly and now it’s about getting to work ahead of the new season.”
Cummings will also be familiar with a number of the new signings have played against them on numerous occasions in the Cymru Premier.
With past opponents now becoming teammates, the experienced defender insisted that old rivalries were quickly put to bed.
“It’s great to be on the same team as them now and not up against them. I think the transition has been quite easy.
“There’s obviously a bit of banter flying around, but you want to play with quality players and that’s what they are. From the first session, any past rivalries are forgotten and you just want to do the best for your teammates.”
Ahead of the club’s first season in the top-flight and their first campaign under new manager Andrew Stokes, the Dragons will look to prove they’re capable of competing.
With a new-look squad, Cummings feels that the side are well-equipped to gain positive results.
“I genuinely feel the squad is looking strong. All the lads have come back in and have looked fit, so I think we can be really competitive. We’ve set targets and goals for the season, but we’ll be looking to not only achieve them but hopefully go even further.
“For me, the main thing is for us to stick together. Things aren’t going to be easy for us as a club in stepping up to the Cymru Premier for the first time.
“There’s going to be some difficult times ahead, no doubt about that, but the main thing I think is important is that togetherness. If we all give 100% for each other, I believe the results and performances will take care of themselves.”
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