Former favourite Richard Blythe has agreed to return for his second spell with Valley from Bedworth United.

Blythe has spent the last two seasons with the Greenbacks where he was made captain and was part of the squad which won promotion back to the Southern League Premier Division at the end of last season.

The 26-year-old midfielder made 130 appearances in his first spell with Rugby between 2011 and 2015, scoring 15 goals.

Blythe originally signed for Rugby from Rushall Olympic in January 2011 having previously featured in Aston Villa's youth team and played in the 2010 FA Youth Cup Final against Chelsea.

After his release from Villa, Blythe was part of Barwell's championship side from the Southern League in 2011.

The former Welsh under-19 international started the 2011/12 season with Evo-Stik Northern Premier side Rushall before suffering an injury in October.

Blythe had a brief hiatus from the club from October to November 2012 due to work commitments, but he marked his return with a goal as a substitute against Fleet Town.

Work commitments continued to limit Blythe's involvement until midway through the 2013/4 season when he had a change of jobs and could commit to midweek games.

But he left the club in May 2015 to join Midland League side Coventry Sphinx.

Blythe joins former team-mate at Valley and newly-appointed player/assistant-manager Justin Marsden, who re-joins Rugby for a third spell.

Marsden (pictured), 34, spent the previous two seasons under Adams at Stratford Town.

Marsden burst onto the scene near the start of the 2002/03 season as an 18-year-old after progressing through the youth team at Rugby, scoring on his full home debut against Stourport Swifts and putting in some outstanding performances.

Marsden's pace, flair and skill took many a Southern League team by surprise during his career and picked up a respectable tally of 10 in his first season with Rugby.

Built on his first season by scoring 35 goals in his three full seasons with the club as a senior playing before leaving with departing manager Tony Dobson in June 2005 to join Solihull Moors.

He enjoyed the best spells of his career with Nuneaton Town as they climbed back up the non-League Pyramid up to the Conference North and also featured for Leamington.

Marsden re-signed for his second spell at Rugby in July 2013 from Barwell before leaving again in 2015 after two good seasons.

After his second stint, Marsden featured for Kettering Town and Bedworth before teaming up with Adams at Stratford.

Commanding centre-half Liam Francis has also agreed to join Rugby from Stratford.

The 28-year-old has spent the last three seasons under Adams at Stratford, scoring 7 goals in 139 appearances.

The influential Francis started his youth career with Coventry City before spells with Leamington, Redditch United, Tamworth and Hednesford Town which preceded his stay with Stratford.

Also making the switch to re-unite with Adams from Stratford are Michael Taylor, Simeon Tulloch, Loyiso Recci and Lee Thomas.

Powerful striker Taylor is described as "very strong, quick and powerful" by Adams.

He has netted 24 goals in the past two seasons at Stratford after spells with Worcester City and Redditch United.

Former Evesham United winger Tulloch, who can play on the wing or as a central striker, had been at Stratford since 2013 and accumulated 168 appearances scoring 13 goals as they won promotion to the Southern Premier.

Defensive duo Recci and Thomas also make the move from Stratford to Butlin Road.

Left-back Thomas scored 2 goals in 43 appearances for Stratford last season after joining from Hinckley AFC last summer, while he has also had spells with Southam United, Long Buckby and Bedworth.

The 26-year-old full-back is a one-time Valley youth player and also had a brief spell with the first-team back in 2010, making one substitute appearance.

Powerful centre-back Recci scored 2 goals in 37 league appearances for Stratford in the Southern Premier last season.

The 27-year-old defender helped Stratford to promotion from the Southern Division One South & West in 2015 after a spell with Bedworth.

Adams has moved to strengthen his defensive options further with the addition of experienced central defender Luke Edwards.

Edwards has recently had spells with Bromsgrove Sporting and Coleshill Town, who were both promoted from the Midland League Premier Division last season.

The 32-year-old defender has amassed more than 200 appearances with Coleshill and did have a short spell with Rugby back in 2011 and made one appearance as a substitute.

Also joining the club is former Solihull Moors goalkeeper Matt Hill.

The 20-year-old stopper has recently had loan spells with Bedford Town, St Ives Town and Rushall.

Trey Brathwaite has returned to Rugby for the new season.

The 23-year-old made 16 appearances last season after signing a one-year contract in the summer but made his last appearance in November 2017.

Brathwaite, who can operate at left-back or in midfield, originally joined Rugby in December 2016 from Stratford where he worked under Adams after starting his career with Solihull.

Adams has moved to bring two other ex-Valley midfielders back to Butlin Road with Lewis Rankin and Charlie Faulkner agreeing on deals.

The attacking midfielders both featured for Rugby in the 2016/17 season in the Northern Premier League Division One campaign, while Rankin also had a previous spell back in 2014.

Rankin originally signed for Rugby in October 2014 after being released by Coventry City and immediately impressed for the Valley with a number of goals and assists in his first few games for the club.

The 22-year-old winger signed a contract with Rugby in January 2015 to keep him at the club until the end of the 2014/5 season before leaving the club in June 2015.

After leaving the club the first time, Rankin featured for Chasetown and Coventry Sphinx before he re-joined in October 2016 from Brackley Town but his second spell was short-lived as he returned to Brackley in November 2016.

Last season Rankin scored 13 goals for Coventry United in the Midland League Premier Division.

Meanwhile, 20-year-old Faulkner played under Adams at Stratford where he joined Rugby from on a dual-registration basis in October 2016.

Last season Faulkner scored 8 goals for Coventry Sphinx after joining from Knowle.