IAN Long believes new signing left-back Zach Foster will be a huge hit at Alvechurch.

The gifted defender has become the latest player to follow Church's new manager from Evo-Stik Northern Premier Division One Tividale to the Lye Meadow.

Dave Bellis, Richard Huckfield and Luke Paskin had already been prepared to drop down a level to continue to work with Long, who guided the Dudley-based to their highest ever finish in the non-league pyramid of eighth.

Long said: "Zach is a player who I believe could play at a higher level, so I am very happy he's joining me at Alvechurch.

"He's an influential player, who takes set pieces and penalties."

Long is hoping the majority of Tividale's squad will join him at Alvechurch but looks set to miss out on goalkeeper Charlie Price, who has joined Stourbridge, while Redditch United are leading several clubs for the signature of forward Jordan Archer.

The new manager is keen to find a reliable goal-scorer to help boost ambitious Alvechurch.

Experienced former Stourport Swifts and Halesowen Town goalkeeper Paul Evans has also came on board as extra competition at Alvechurch.

With so many players from the Tividale side which won the Midland Alliance in the 2013-14 season, Church will be tipped as one of the favourites to push for the single promotion spot in the league, which is now called the Midlands Premier.

However, they are set to be given some stiff competition from newly-formed Hereford, who have entered the pyramid at step five.

Formed by fans of recently defunct Hereford United, the club has sold 800 season tickets, making it the most well-supported club in the entire division by some way.

Long said: "Hereford obviously have a huge fan base and but we want to aim for promotion this season.

"I am ambitious and so is the chairman Richard Thorndike. It's a shame that only the champions can go up because it does means good sides will miss out.

"I also think Coleshill will be contenders, so it's going to be a very close league."