Torquay United player-manager Kevin Nicholson has been far and away the busiest manager in the South West in the current transfer window, as he aims to strengthen the Gulls side in their bid to avoid relegation to the National League South.
United have re-signed winger Toby Ajala from Dover Athletic, who he signed a non-contract deal with at the end of last season, on a full contract to the end of the campaign, and goalkeeper Dan Lavercombe has been sold and loaned back - for the remainder of the campaign -from Wigan Athletic.
The deal for Lavercombe, who came through Torquay's now defunct youth set-up, has earned the Gulls a fee of £30,000 and United also made a small fee from midfielder James Hurst, who has made his loan move to Guiseley permanent.
Former England C' international Shaun Harrad, who was once a team-mate of Nicholson's at Notts County also arrived on a deal until the end of the season to boost the Gulls attacking options.
Nicholson has also moved to secure loan deals from Aman Verma and Andre Wright, from Kidderminster Harriers and West Bromwich Albion respectively, until the end of the season.
Along with central defender Nathan Smith and Lavercombe, Verma and Wright take United's loanee quota up to four - five loan players are permitted in a match day squad - so Nicholson currently has the freedom to bring in one more loan player between now and the close of the window.
The cancellation of the contract of former Mansfield winger Louis Briscoe will serve to free up substantial space on the Gulls' wage bill, so expect more new arrivals at the Launa Windows Stadium between now and January 31st.
