Stanley are hoping to receive a boost with the return of striker Padraig Amond.

The seven-goal top scorer from last season is currently pre-season training back in Portugal with club Pacos de Ferreira but he has made no secret of his desire to return to League Two with Accrington if it doesn’t work out at the Portuguese Premier League club.

Amond, 24, has one year left on his contract but spent last season on loan at the Crown Ground.

The former Sligo striker is in talks with his club at the moment – and could be back at Accrington for the start of the new campaign.

Meanwhile boss Paul Cook has been boosting his squad in the last week with defender Michael Liddle signing a 12-month deal for an undisclosed fee from Sunderland after a loan spell at the Crown Ground last season.

And Charlie Barnett has committed to a one-year contract with the Reds.

Cook is still running the rule over a number of trialists – winger Aiden Chippendale from Huddersfield, Middesbrough trainee James Gray, ex-Rochdale wideman Adam Rundle and centre back Tom Eckersley, from Bolton.

All are expected to feature as Stanley play their first home game of the pre-season campaign against Championship Blackburn Rovers tomorrow.

"We are pleased to sign Michael," said boss Cook. "We never saw him as left back last season due to the shortage of players but that’s where we expect him to play this season.

"Michael is a competitive player, he knows how the club works, he has a will to win and he will provide balance in the team.

"We are convinced that he can step into Kevin McIntyre’s shoes at left back and I am sure he will have a great career with the club."

Liddle, 22, was delighted to meet up with last season’s team-mates again. "I enjoyed my loan last year and I knew that all I wanted to do this season was get out and play first team football," explained the Republic of Ireland Under 21 international.

"When I realised that I wasn’t going to get a chance at Sunderland my first thought was to try to get back to Accrington.

"I enjoyed it so much that I wanted to get back here as soon as I could. I didn’t think about it for a minute.

"A lot of people have said to me that it’s a step back but sometimes you’ve got to take a step back to go forward.

"And for me it’s not even a step back. From the reserves this is a step forward and it was an easy decision."

Cook has had to release a number of trialists after the first three pre-season clashes – a 4-1 victory at Bootle on Saturday, a 2-1 win over Marine on Monday followed by a 5-0 victory at Burscough on Wednesday night.

Marc Bridge-Wilkinson, Joe Holt and Sheffield Wednesday’s Vodaine Oliver, among others, have left the club.

"It’s not a job I enjoy doing, having to tell someone ‘no’," said Cook. "But what I tell them to do is not take my word for it and go and prove me wrong and make a career as a professional footballer.

"You never want to disappoint young players but you want to tell them while there is still time to look elsewhere."

The Stanley boss confirmed he still has money to spend on wages – not a lot but there are funds there for signings.

"We do have money available but we have got to be careful."

The Reds have missed out on former Preston goalkeeper Iain Taylor who has gone elsewhere but Cook is still hunting for a stopper and front players.

"The search goes on and it is a case of being patient, something I don’t like," said the Reds manager.

"A couple of trialists have impressed me and then there is the loan market although, like every club, you prefer your own players."

Meanwhile Cook is pleased to see Dean Winnard making steady progress after an ankle operation which ruled him out for the second half of last season.

The defender played a part at Bootle and Burscough and Cook said: "Dean is impatient to come back and play but he has been out for four months with an ankle injury and it will take time.

"We want him back and fit and we will be patient with him but hopefully he will come back stronger and better."

And, despite a winning start in their three games against non-league opposition, Cook admits he takes no notice of the scores in friendlies.

"I have seen both sides of it – where you win every pre-season game and then go into the season and it falls flat or you can’t win a friendly game and then hit the ground running at the start.

"It doesn’t have an impact. Pre-season is just there to get the lads fit, iron out a few things, make a few mistakes and build up to that first league game."

A Stanley team will travel to AFC Fylde on Tuesday (ko 7.30pm).