He has bolstered his squad both on and off the field.

The Gingerbreads have brought in forward Francois Zoko as player-coach as well as taking up a role in the Football in the Community scheme.

Zoko is an Ivory Coast under-20 and under-23 international who started his career in France with Nancy and Laval, in Belgium with Mons and KV Oostende and Turkey with Hacettepe Spor Kulubu before moving to England in 2010, where he has garnered a wealth of League experience with Carlisle United, Notts County, Blackpool and, most recently, Yeovil Town, for whom he made 122 appearances and scored 28 goals.

With Zoko becoming player-coach, Adam Smith has stepped up to become player/assistant-manager.

Returning to the Gingerbreads is attacking midfielder Andrew Wright following his departure from league rivals Matlock Town.

Wright had only signed for the Gladiators for an undisclosed fee from Southern Premier Central side Coalville Town in June.

He had a short loan spell at Matlock from Lincoln City in 2016/17 but only made a handful of appearances.

When he was released by the Imps shortly afterwards, he first joined Grantham where he played a key role in the Gingerbreads’ successful 2017/18 campaign when they were beaten NPL Premier Division play-off finalists.

When manager Adam Stevens went to Coalville from Grantham in the summer of 2018, Wright followed him and was again prominent, netting 17 league and cup goals as the Ravens narrowly missed out on a play-off spot.