BOSS Peter Jackson believes Junior Mendes will add a vital dash of pace to his Town frontline for the 2004-05 League I season.

Like Chesterfield midfielder Chris Brandon, Mansfield striker Mendes is expected to put pen to paper on a McAlpine deal after his current contract runs out tomorrow.

And Jackson, who has offloaded frontman Jon Newby to make way for Mendes, said: "I think both new players will be exciting signings.

"We've got experience and aerial power with Andy Booth and John McAliskey and a lively operator on the floor in Pawel Abbott, but we have lacked pace up front.

"We've addressed that by looking to bring in Junior, who at 27, can give us several years of good service.

"Obviously our fans will remember him from the play-off final last month.

"But of the three games he played against us last season, I think that was his worst.

"I remember him in the League game at our place.

"He scored a good goal by turning Dave Mirfin and not too many players did that.

"Junior has good feet as well as real pace and I think he'll cause defences problems.

"He started out at Chelsea, and while things didn't work out, he made himself into a good professional by going North of the border and working very hard at his game with St Mirren.

"He was one of Keith Curle's first signings for Mansfield, and I'm pretty certain they would like to have kept him."

Jackson has added a friendly at Brian Horton's League II side Macclesfield on Saturday, July 31 (kick-off is 1.00) to Town's pre-season list.

Town, of course, suffered a dismal 4-0 Division III setback at Moss Rose last season.

The trip to Guiseley on Tuesday, August 3 (7.30) has also been confirmed.