THE transfer window creaked shut at 11 o’clock on Tuesday night, by which time we bought in five new January additions to our playing squad.

We have bolstered the squad for the final three months of the season.

We now have a solid squad by League Two standards, balanced in all areas of the pitch.

Fans’ hopes for the club are that we can catapult ourselves up out of League Two with such momentum that it carries us into the higher reaches of League One.

Ambition is shown in actions and January has been a very encouraging month.

One of the secrets of our recent good results has been a very evident togetherness amongst the players.

The new arrivals will be integrating into this happy atmosphere, and hopefully will thrive and enjoy the experience.

Let’s look at the new faces around the place.

They consist of an experienced goalkeeper in his prime, as well as four younger outfield players whose best days should be ahead.

First the goalkeeper - 31-year-old Dean Brill who has been frustrated at not getting into the Motherwell team after a very successful spell at Inverness Caledonian Thistle where he once went 616 minutes without conceding a goal.

Brill started with six years at Luton Town, later playing at Oldham and Barnet before going north of the border.

Sean Murray is a midfielder whose contract was terminated by Swindon Town as his career had stalled.

He is a 23-year-old former Republic of Ireland Under-21 international and his League career started with a bang at Watford for whom he made 75 League appearances.

A classic case of a new start and a chance to push on again with a different club, with mixed experiences behind him as guidance.

Rekeil Pyke is a loanee forward from Huddersfield Town, who is with the U’s until May 7.

His record suggests that he will have goals in his locker.

These players join midfielder Tommy O’Sullivan and youngster Eli Phipps, who joined earlier in the month.

O’Sullivan was on the bench in our last game at Exeter, but didn’t get on to the pitch.

He has the look of a cultured attacking midfielder with a deadly right foot and an eye for an early pass.

So, we have a competitive squad, with Phipps, Louis Dunne, Tariq Issa and Cameron James likely to be the ‘next generation’, pushing for a first team minutes between now and May.

Mathematically we could have an eye on a play-off place for the rest of the season, so promotion to the first team squad will need to be earned through hard graft.

There have been some departures from the club to balance the arrivals.

Chris Regis has left the club, having measurably improved in his time with us.

Macauley Bonne has gone out on loan to Woking, to give him the game time that he craves.

Mike O’Donoghue and Jack Curtis have both been released by the club.

There are times when I would want to run a mile before delivering such bad news!

From the successful ‘Class of ‘14’, the League and FA Alliance Cup-winning Under-18 side of three years ago, Frankie Kent and Tom Lapslie have made the transition to the first team, Sammie Szmodics has had his progress interrupted by injury, Macauley Bonne has yet to nail down a place, Dion Sembie-Ferris has a bit to do out on loan at Concord Rangers, and Callum Harrison could be the final member to make the step up.

He definitely has a chance, and is benefitting from time at Needham Market in the Ryman Premier League.

Talking of the Ryman League, I watched Maldon and Tiptree entertain Bowers and Pitsea last weekend, and the game was an absolute cracker, which Bowers edged 3-2.

Promotion for Maldon this year is the target, as the Premier League is the place for the U’s hopefuls.

Meanwhile, my new pals Bryn and Bill (of Colne Radio’s Bryn and Bill Show) headed to Stanway Rovers as they wanted to see how Karl Duguid started life as the new manager.

Let’s hope resident club maestro Owen Garvan has recovered during our two-week break, and will be fit to resume his duties at Blackpool tomorrow.

Poor Blackpool!

They, Leyton Orient and Coventry are currently vying for top place in the Owner Dissatisfaction Stakes as they have helplessly watched the club’s downward trajectory.

That said, there will no favours tomorrow.