TWO trialists from England are to link up with the Dundalk squad this Friday, and will be extended the opportunity to impress manager Ian Foster in the club's first couple of pre-season games against Athlone on Sunday (kick-off 2pm) and Shelbourne (7.45pm), both at Oriel Park. Both Jack MacCleod who was with Hereford and Sam Malson, who has been playing in the Faroe Islands, are in their early 20s, and are available on free transfers.

Malson, a striker, has been recommended by a couple oF Foster's contacts, one being Brian Kerr, the former Ireland manager, who is now in charge of the Faroe Islands national team.

The manager will also make a decision on whether to sign a number of other players who are training with the squad, including Dundalkborn striker Kyle Moran and Stephen Maher, who were with Saint Patrick's Athletic last season, along with Michael Synnott who was let go on loan by Sean Connor to Shelbourne.

He also is assessing local defender Michael Coburn, who, while he played quite a few times last season, is a player that the manager isn't that familiar with.

Foster took his first pre-season training session on Monday after hastily returning home to the Midlands where his wife Portia gave birth to their first child, son Jude.

He said he was pleased with the attitude of his players and the fitness levels they had attained with the hard work carried out under assistant Wayne Hartwell last week.

The Scouser revealed he was 'very close' to completing the re-signing of Shaun Kelly and Simon Kelly, who were both present for his first session in charge of the squad, along with 'keeper Peter Cherrie.

The latter was missing last week, but it was an issue that Foster said he would deal with 'in-house.'

He said he had made an offer to his former centre-half at Galway Gary Breen to come and join him. The 6'3 defender was a regular with Galway, just like his former teammate Michael Daly was at Oriel Park last season.

The pair played in the same Manchester City Youths team. The Kilkenny native then jo ined Hereford, who are now in the Eng l i sh League 2. Foster revealed that he will not be taking at this stage his former captain at Galway John Russell to Oriel.

'Unfortunately for him he has a stress fracture in his ankle and won't be able to play football for 10 to 14 weeks.' Michael McGowan is another he has given up on bringing back to Oriel.

T h e No r t h e r n I re land under-21 international w h o impressed with his powe r - pa cked shooting when signed during the summer break scored the goal of the season in the last game of the campaign in front of the home fans against Derry City.

Ideally, Foster wants to include four strikers in the panel, and with two at present in Tiarnan Mulvenna and new signing Neale Fenn, he certainly is looking to add one more. It will then depend on whether his budget stretches to add another striker.

He says that new signings Fenn, Alan Cawley and Matt Gregg bring a winning habit with them. Fenn's quality, experience and intelligence will have a positive influence on the young players, the manager commented.