AFC TOTTON boss Louis Langdown has described the twin acquisition of Connor York and Curtis Young as “the best double signing I have ever made.”

The right-sided duo excelled on loan from AFC Bournemouth last season as the Stags successfully warded off relegation from the Southern One South & West.

As part of Bournemouth’s under-21s and under-18s, they have had full-time football for the last two years.

But, despite being very close to the offer of a professional contract, they were released by the Premier League club at the end of the season and will be hungry to explore a new route back to the pro game.

York, a cultured right-back, arrived at the Testwood Stadium in November shortly after Langdown - Bournemouth's former head of sports science - had taken over as Stags manager.

Lively winger Young followed him to Totton early in the new year and, like York, took no time establishing himself as a firm fans' favourite.

“They don’t want to be here forever, of course they don’t, but they have to start somewhere and push and build again,” said Langdown.

“They have had full-time football for the past two years and trained with Eddie Howe’s Premier League squad regularly. The key to recruiting the boys was to offer them as close to that environment as possible on a part-time basis.

“We faced some stiff competition for their signatures and we couldn’t compete in a bidding war, so our attraction is the culture and environment we offer players.

“There are lots of agents about who are happy to throw CVs at people, but these lads don’t want to be a bit of paper, they want games. I hope we can do enough to put them back in people’s minds.

“Hopefully someone bigger will come along and, when they do, we won’t hold them back.”

Langdown’s player/assistant Adam Wilde agreed: “We are here to help push the players onto bigger and better things, but right now the focus for Connor and Curtis is to get their heads down and continue to work hard and good things will happen for them.

“They have a great attitude and everyone can see they are very good footballers. They are both very likeable lads.

"With Louis' experience at professional clubs, he is the best person to ensure training intensity is right and the two lads know this, having been a big part of our good end to last season."

York and Young are likely to be Totton's last permanent signings of the summer, joining Tobi Adekunle, Pip Nolan, Craig Feeney, Tony Lee, Shane Murphy, Callum Chugg and Alfy Whittingham (loan) on the list of recruits.