WINCHESTER City will use Saturday’s home friendly against Sutton United (July 11, 3pm) as their final trial game before manager Paul Masters starts trimming his squad.

Masters used well over 20 players in last weekend’s 0-0 stalemate with Gosport Borough - including returning centre-back Leigh Mills - and will be cutting numbers to around 16 for the start of the Southern One South & West campaign.

Three more players – ex-Swindon and Spurs man Mills and AFC Totton pair Rob Flooks and Liam Gilbert – have put pen to paper for City, as have full-backs Danny King and Dan Thompson who sat out last season injured.

Several other players are currently on trial, including ex-Poole Town targetman Dan Cann who was with Blackfield & Langley last season, and former Havant & Waterlooville right-back Jake Newton.

Ex-Sholing centre-back Mitchell Fear, a Whitchurch United player last term, also featured against Gosport, as did Saints legend Francis Benali’s son, Luke, who follows the family tradition of playing at full-back.

Masters is also running the rule over Patrick Wilson, a centre-half from Wimborne Town, while Chris Lynch from Verwood Town and James Courtenage from Windsor are under consideration to fill the goalkeeping post vacated by Ryan Gosney.

The return of former skipper Mills is a major boost to City as they prepare for life back in the Southern ranks.

“Leigh wanted six months out of football, but we agreed at the end of last season that he was coming back,” said Masters.

“He played against Gosport and was outstanding.

“Leigh’s played far higher and he’ll cruise the Southern League, to be fair.

“Luke Dempsey has left us (to go to AFC Totton) and he was brilliant for us last season but, with Millsy coming back, he might not have played as much as he wanted to.”

Although the general perception is that Winchester have money to burn, Masters insists that is definitely not the case and he will have to be selective about the players he signs.

“I was with AFC Totton when they went up through the leagues and we haven’t got anywhere near that,” he said. “Everyone thinks we’re spending fortunes but we’re not.

“I don’t want too big a squad in any case. I don’t like having many more than 16 players plus a few young lads.”