ANDY Preece expects teenage Worcester City striker Troy Wood to be a sharper prospect next season.

Wood, 19, has agreed terms for the next 12 months and will compete with Craig Wilding, Mark Danks, Adam Webster and player-boss Preece for a starting berth.

But City's manager wants the former youth team hot-shot to be firing on all cylinders after admitting he had struggled with his fitness last season.

Preece said: "Troy's biggest asset is his pace but he wasn't as fit as he should have been last season which meant he lost that half-a-yard of pace and couldn't get away from defenders.

"He's got to try a bit harder with his fitness which I know he's started doing already before pre-season. We know that when he puts that work in, he'll be a sharper player.

"He's a player that could come through and be a surprise starter for our first league game - if he does come back as fit as it seems he's going to be."

As well as his pace, Wood has built a reputation for finding the net and bagged five goals in six starts on loan at Southern League side Evesham United last season.

Preece said: "We know Troy can score goals but he does need to work on other aspects of his game. I'm just hoping for progress from him. He had a good start last year and played half-a-dozen games for us. I did want to give him that opportunity when it came about. The same applies this year.

"He did OK overall last season but didn't quite take the chance as I may have expected.

"However, he will be mentally and physically better prepared this time around and will know what the league's about."

Midfielder Shaun Findlay is close to agreeing new terms for the next 12 months and Preece insisted: "We want to keep players at the club with potential."

Following the capture of tough-tackling midfielder Emeka Nwadike from Alfreton, City are now planning one more significant signing, possibly at centre-half following Justin Thompson's departure.

Preece added: "At the moment, I'm talking to one or two other players."