Quality not quantity is the aim for Reds boss James Beattie as he looked to finalise his squad for tomorrow’s big kick-off.

Stanley start the new season with a trip to newly-promoted Newport tomorrow and, in his first summer in management, Beattie is pleased with the group of players he has managed to put together.

The rookie boss allowed his former Sheffield United team-mate Danny Webber to link up with the Reds in pre-season in a bid to earn a permanent deal and, at the end of last week, the ex-Manchester United trainee was rewarded with a one-year contract.

That saw the 31-year-old striker become the 18th player to sign up for this season.

After a loan spell with Stanley last term, Piero Mingoia returned to the club this summer after being released by Watford and was set to sign a permanent deal in time for tomorrow’s opener.

The 21-year-old midfielder has featured in the Reds’ last four friendlies, playing 90 minutes of Tuesday night’s 2-2 draw at Stalybridge Celtic.

Kal Naismith also impressed on trial and although the 21-year-old striker is back with Rangers, he could return on loan once the season’s underway.

“I’m happy with the squad,” said Beattie.

“It was vitally important that we tried to recreate what we created towards the end of last season.

“Every player that we’ve added had to have that mentality of someone who’ll work hard and give everything for the club.

“We’ve come through relatively unscathed, we’ve only had some minor injuries and illness, so I think it’s been a very good pre-season.

“The players have trained hard, shown me respect and behaved impeccably well so I’m very proud of them.”

On his first day as manager, Beattie vowed to bring in players that wouldn’t normally be expected to come to Stanley and he’s been true to his word by bringing in Webber.

And while the Reds boss is happy with the players he will have to choose from at Newport, saying everyone’s in contention for a place in his starting line-up, the 35-year-old hinted he could boost the squad with some more high-profile recruits after the start of the season.

“A couple of loans would always help,” he said. “The squad will be about 22, maybe slightly less, but I think the quality is better than what the club’s had previously.

“The purse strings are tight so I’m conscious of the fact that if we save some pennies in one place, we can use them in another.

“We’re looking at a couple more recruits that people wouldn’t expect to come so hopefully we’ll get them in as well. They’ll require a lot of work, to be fair, but we’ll see what we can do.”

Beattie has kept hold of 14 members of last season’s squad, who produced promotion form over the last few weeks of the campaign to steer Stanley to survival.

The former England international also said on his appointment that ‘the target for this season would be to go up as champions’ and he remains confident the Reds can challenge at the right end of the table this term.

“I never said we would get promotion, I said that’s got to be our aim.” Beattie added. “You’ve always got to aim as high as you can and aim to be better.

“That was something that was instilled in me at a young age and that’s what I’ve done throughout my life and throughout my career.

“We’re trying to change how the players apply themselves in training and look after themselves. They have to set the standards for each other now and there are certain players that are doing that.”

After visiting Newport tomorrow, Stanley travel to Middlesbrough on Tuesday night to take on the Championship side in the first round of the Capital One Cup.