HEREFORD United's new season preparations have picked up pace with the signing of three players.

The Edgar Street club have snapped up central defenders Karl Broadhurst and John McCombe, from Bournemouth and Huddersfield respectively, and left-sided midfielder Kris Taylor from Walsall.

Defender Dean Beckwith has also agreed a new one-year deal with the League Two side, who are hoping to bring in at least six more players before the campaign kicks off on Saturday, August 11.

The additions will no doubt come as a relief to Bulls fans who have seen several key personnel leave of late.

Rob Purdie, who was club captain, has signed for League Two rivals Darlington and Tim Sills has moved to Torquay United. Tamika Mkandawire became a close-season capture for Leyton Orient and striker Andy Williams is set to join Bristol Rovers.

Alan Connell joined Brent-ford this week but it has since been revealed that Hereford withdrew their offers to both the striker and Simon Travis after they failed to notify the club in writing over their futures by an agreed date.

Manager Graham Turner is pleased to have signed the trio but said they have been in the pipeline for some time.

He said: "They have been on the go for a while and finally we have sorted out the formalities and I would hope there would be another six before the season starts.

"It's always difficult to start banding names about before you sign them because it alerts other clubs to our interest. We like to keep everything close to our chest until the formalities are taken care of."

Broadhurst, 27, left Bourne-mouth in May following nine years and 200-plus appearances and will join Hereford subject to a medical.

McCombe struggled to hold down a regular first-team place at Huddersfield after joining the Yorkshire club as a trainee.

The 22-year-old, who spent February 2006 on loan at Torquay, made his league debut on May 3, 2003, but did not get another chance until September the following year.

Taylor, 23, made more than 80 appearances for Walsall and was once on the books of Wolverhampton Wanderers and Manchester United, who paid £200,000 for him as a 14-year-old.

Turner, whose team began pre-season training today, added: "McCombe is a young player with plenty of scope for improvement and Broadhurst is an experienced central defender.

"Taylor got used to winning last year and played over 30 games for league champions in Walsall. He's a constructive midfield player who can also play at left-back."