Lowestoft Town finally made some significant progress in strengthening their squad for the forthcoming season with the signings of Jack Ainsley and Curtis Haynes-Brown.

The capture of Ainsley, brother of defender Stuart, is seen as quite a coup for the Trawlerboys with the 22-year-old turning out for Ipswich Town in the Championship last season.

Ainsley, who spent the second half of the last campaign on loan at Chelmsford City, has been training with the Blues over the summer and director of football, Craig Fleming, was delighted to get the deal over the line.

'Jack's a very good player – a local lad with a lot of talent, he's exactly the sort we are looking for really,' said the former Norwich City defender. 'He has been very impressive in training and obviously Stuart's influence helped us to get him in.'

Lowestoft will take their time to judge where to deploy Ainsley, who came through the academy at Portman Road as a striker, before being converted to a full-back.

'We are going to take a look at him to assess his best position,' added Fleming. 'We think he can make an impact wherever we play him and he certainly strengthens the squad.'

The signing of Haynes-Brown has also lifted spirits at Crown Meadow with the defender returning to the club two years after leaving for Yeovil.

His move to Huish Park didn't work out and after short spells at AFC Wimbledon and Cambridge United, Fleming didn't hesitate to re-sign the centre-half after he was released on a free transfer.

'It was a bit of no-brainer really with Curtis,' said Fleming. 'I've stayed in contact with him since he moved away and he's someone we've wanted to bring back for a long time. He's a real fans' favourite here and he was a top player for us and I'm sure he will be again. I don't think his move away not working out will have too big an effect – he's naturally a confident lad and he's coming back to a place he knows very well. He will be a big asset for us again, just as he was the first time he was here.'

Lowestoft's fixtures for the upcoming season were released on Wednesday with the Blues facing a trip to newly-promoted Dulwich Hamlet on the opening day of the season. Fleming hopes he can add another new face to the squad.

'We are looking at one, which we are hopeful over and there are two or three others rumbling along, which haven't got as good a chance,' said Fleming, who had only succeeded in bringing in Will Viner from Thurrock before this week. 'But we are working very hard to bring the players in that we need.'