THE wait for Bromsgrove Rovers fans will be over on Saturday when their league campaign under new manager George Rooney begins.

Impressive outfit Rugby United will be the visitors at 3pm in the Dr Martens League Western Division.

Rooney hopes by then to have cobbled together a good squad of his own.

Central defender Steve Ulfig will be one man returning to the fold after trialling with Solihull Borough and Ilkeston Town.

Tough-tackling 18-year-old left-back Lee Millard, who tried out with Premiership Derby County this summer, has also been signed.

Rooney aims to acquire the services of ex-Greens goalkeeper Nore Gabbidon, former Solihull midfielder Phil Rowe and midfielder Dean Joinson who was on West Brom's books.

He is looking at 21-year-old Jamie Wills, who was also with the Baggies, and former Port Vale trainee right-back Mark Faulkner.

Rooney said: "This has been the most amazing pre-season preparation I've been through.

"It's been hectic and we are not there yet but hopefully we will be by Saturday.

"The side will be young but no-one will question our commitment. We will also have a fair amount of ability.

"Two weeks ago we hardly had five players who we wanted to go into the season with. That number should soon be 16 or 17.

"The only problem is the amount of time they will take to gel as a unit."

One blow is the ankle injury suffered by midfielder Jamie Turpin on Friday in the 4-0 win at the Victoria Ground against Worcester City reserves.

Turpin is expected to miss the start of the season.

The Rovers will be hoping defender Quentin Townsend does not suffer from jet lag - he is due to return home from a two-week holiday to Florida on Friday afternoon.