SHAKERS' boss Graham Barrow has succeeded in landing his number one summer target, Dave Challinor.

The influential central defender signed a 12-month deal on Wednesday with the option for another year at the end of it.

It's been a long, drawn out process to secure the services of the former Tranmere Rovers man who transformed the club's season when he arrived on loan from Stockport County at the turn of the year.

At that time the team was plummeting perilously close to the relegation places, with a leaky defence shipping goals for fun, but his experience and organisational skills were instrumental in lifting them to a respectable mid-table finishing position.

Boasting a surplus of central defenders, Hatters boss Sammy McIlroy had made it clear to the 28-year-old that his future lay elsewhere.

With a year left on his Stockport contract the stumbling block over the past few weeks has been the player agreeing severance terms with the Edgeley Park club, but that obstacle was overcome earlier in the week.

Fortunately for the Shakers, Challinor thoroughly enjoyed his time at Gigg Lane and despite overtures from other clubs in recent weeks - notably Bristol Rovers - he was more than happy to return and is expected to be made captain for the new season.

"It's great to know we're going to have Dave with us this season," said Barrow.

"He did everything I wanted and more when he came on loan last year, he was absolutely fantastic.

"We were both disappointed when we didn't manage to sign him on transfer deadline day, but thankfully it's worked out well in the end.

"It's not just his playing ability that is important for us it's everything else he brings to the club.

"He is a model professional and wants to be a part of what we are trying to build here."

Challinor joins striker Jon Newby and midfielder Dwayne Mattis as the summer's new signings and two more new faces, a striker and a midfielder, are expected to arrive at the club in the coming weeks.

All the players return for pre-season training on Tuesday morning and as far as assistant boss Kelham O'Hanlon is concerned that's when the season begins.

"Hopefully all the lads will have had a good rest and are ready for a long hard, successful campaign," he said.

"Everyone starts the season with a clean sheet and the new lads will have to prove they are good enough to get into the team.

"No-one is guaranteed a place, what's gone is gone and it's all about hard work and preparation over the next few weeks."

While Shakers fans are familiar with both Newby and Challinor, Mattis is something of an unknown quantity but O'Hanlon reckons the Republic of Ireland Under-21 international could make a big impression next term.

"I know of Dwayne from his Huddersfield Town days," he explained.

"He is a big, strong powerful boy who can play.

"He'll add to the competition in the midfield positions which is what we need."

The Shakers pre-season match against Leeds United scheduled for Wednesday, July 28 has been cancelled.

The newly-relegated Yorkshire side were only going to send a mixture of reserve and youth team players over the Pennines and with that in mind the cost of policing the game made it financially impractical.