WESSEX League title chasers Winchester City have added a familiar face to their squad.

Defender Stewart Lang has returned to the club after a season away with Combined Counties League side Godalming & Guildford, where he was voted player-of-the-year.

Lang, 30, is Winchester through and through having played for the old Winchester Castle club and then staying in the ranks when they merged with City.

A former Barton Rovers, Biggleswade Town and Torrington player, he was a member of City's FA Vase-winning squad in 2003/4, but was an unused substitute in the Birmingham final.

More good news for Winchester is that 19-year-old strike prospect Ben Kneller has signed a year's contract at the Denplan City Ground.

The teenager made a dramatic impact when he burst onto the first-team scene towards the back end of last season, scoring winners against Gosport Borough and Lymington & New Milton.

He was also a key member of the Hampshire under-18 side that made the final of the FA County Youth Cup.

Meanwhile, forward-thinking Winchester have snapped up four young prospects from lower down the Wessex League as part of their new development plan.

The Division 1 runners-up have signed three promising midfielders - Matt Rackham from Colden Common, Nick Lewis from Micheldever and Rob Fox from Otterbourne - plus Otterbourne central defender Danny Edwards with a view to grooming them for top-flight football.

With youth development duo Ian Knight and Wayne Mew switching camps to Eastleigh this summer,Winchester have decided against running an under-18 side next season and will instead use their reserves to bring young talent through. They will, however, run an under-16 side.

The new man in charge of the second string is former Colden Common boss Dave Riddell. He takes over from Kevin Dixon, who is stepping up to join the first-team management staff.

"We're looking to use the reserves as a breeding ground for young players and have 19, 20 and 21-year-olds who are ready to compete for a first-team place," explained Winchester's director of football Dave Malone.