Summer transfer activity outlined after former Newcastle triallist, AFC Wimbledon striker and non-league ace becomes Hawks' first close season arrival
Jason Prior's return to the Hawks will be the first of up to four new additions made by the club in a summer of squad fine-tuning.
Chief executive Stuart Munro told club supporters to expect a much quieter close season of comings and goings ahead, after major squad overhauls in previous off-seasons since boss Paul Doswell arrived in the summer of 2019.
Hawks wasted no time in securing hitman Prior's return to Westleigh Park at the back end of last week, just days after it had been confirmed he would be leaving National League South play-off winners Dorking Wanderers.
With one summer deal already tied down, Munro revealed the club are now pushing hard to bring in a further two new faces ‘within the next two weeks’.
Should those incomings be secured, Hawks fans have been told to expect potentially a fourth and final summer arrival - with 14 of last season's squad already committed to remaining at the club for the forthcoming 2021-22 campaign.
Munro said: ‘We would like to add two or three, maybe maximum four players - it won't be anymore than four (including Jason Prior's addition) - there are possibly two or three more but no more than that.
‘We think we've got one tied up, I can't announce that yet, we're working on one more. Within the next two weeks I expect another two players will be confirmed.
'It's not (going to be) as busy this year. We've kept the nucleus of last season's squad. We felt that in the last eight to 10 weeks of the season, eventually, we showed what we could do.
‘Unfortunately, we hadn't given ourselves any room for error and that error game on the last day against Chippenham.
‘We felt the squad - before Christmas and in the last two months (of the season) - showed that we can compete within the play-off places.’
Munro confirmed there will be up to three players departing the club from last season's squad, but would not go into detail on who those will be at this stage.
But with Hawks returning for pre-season training on Tuesday, June 28 and the first friendly taking place against Pompey at Westleigh Park on Saturday, July 2, CEO Munro wants summer dealings to be conducted as quickly as possible.
‘There are a few we're expecting (player departures), but no more than a few,’ added Munro.
‘It's two or three in, two or three out, that's it. I'm not prepared to mention any names at the moment, that's not fair, but it's two or three in and the same amount out.’