Hereford United boss Graham Turner has made significant steps towards keeping the backbone of his squad at Edgar Street for next season and is now looking to sign a goal scorer.

Matt Clarke, Ben Smith, Jamie Pitman and Steve Guinan, have all agreed to re-sign and offers have been made to Rob Purdie and Richard Teesdale, while Turner intends to speak to the agents of midfielder Danny Williams and Albano Correia.

The contract negotiations follow the decision to release club captain Ian Wright, Ken Griffiths and John Grant after Hereford's failure to reach the inaugural Nationwide Conference play-offs, which begin tonight.

Despite a 4-2 defeat in their final match against promotion-chasing Doncaster Rovers on Saturday, the Bulls still ended in sixth place - equalling their highest Conference finish in the 1997-1998 season.

And Turner now believes that a couple of influential and experienced signings would make United into serious play-off contenders. He is eager to land a striker in the close season to line up alongside Guinan, who found the net 14 times in the league.

Goalkeeper Matt Baker, Tony James, Paul Parry, Michael Rose, Andy Tretton and Rob Sawyers are still under contract for next season.

Meanwhile, Parry capped an outstanding personal season by carrying off two titles at HUISA's end-of-season presentation evening.

Parry won both the Player of the Year and the Away Travel Player of the Year trophies, James was awarded the Leominster Shield, and Williams won the Away Goal of the Season award for his volley at Farnborough.

Wright was presented with a special trophy for his outstanding service to United, while Dave Weaver was voted Supporter of the Year.

Although missing out on the play-offs, United won the Nationwide Conference's Fair Play Trophy for having the best disciplinary record in the division.

Hereford also averaged 2,038 from their 21 home Conference matches - an increase of 31 per cent on the previous season.

Shrewsbury Town, where Turner made his name as a manager, are relegated from Division 3 and will join the Conference, alongside the promoted trio of Aldershot, Accrington Stanley and Tamworth. Southport, Nuneaton and Kettering have been relegated from the Conference.