HEREFORD FC manager Pete Beadle says he would have loved to have kept James Bowen last season.

The left-back has returned to Edgar Street following a spell at Northern Premier side Stafford Rangers.

Bowen had a successful loan spell at Hereford in the 2015/16 season and Beadle is delighted he is back.

"I wanted to keep him last season because I think there would have been really good competition between him and Joel [Edwards]," said Beadle.

"James is certainly a really good player but circumstances meant he didn't stay here.

"But I have always kept an eye on him and he played in the Northern Premier, which is a really tough league.

"I'm really pleased he has come on board.

"He knows what he is coming into and the expectation that comes with it.

"There are still people here from when he was here before and I'm sure he will settle in well."

Hereford have also retained Jamie Molyneux and Mark Preece.

Beadle said he felt frustrated for Molyneux last season because the former Westfields player picked up an injury just as he was playing well.

"When you come to us from another club, it's hard but I thought he fitted in well and got a couple of early goals and we started to see the best of him," said Beadle.

"But after he got injured at Yate away, it set him back.

"But Jamie us a quality player who has pace and glides past defenders.

"He has played at this level and I'm looking forward to seeing him when he's 100% fit."

Centre-half Preece divided opinion among some supporters, but Beadle felt he did ok.

"We had a long chat with him and he needs to get fitter, which he understands, but he dominated a lot of aerial battles and got a couple of goals at the other end, so generally, he did ok," said Beadle.

"He played at this level last season and he wanted to stay and kick on.

"But he needs a proper pre-season because when he wasn't playing at Chippenham, it affected his fitness."