NEW signings Simon Brown and Christian Smith are poised to make their York City debuts in tomorrow’s KitKat Crescent clash with Lewes.

Winger Brown has joined on loan from Wrexham until the end of the season, while 6ft 1in midfielder Smith has also agreed terms until the summer after being released by the Welsh club, where City boss Martin Foyle was assistant manager until October.

With on-loan Wrexham right-back Kyle Critchell also primed for his home debut against Lewes, Foyle believes the new faces can help improve the club’s fortunes in front of their own fans.

Since taking over as manager, Foyle has tasted defeat in three of his four KitKat Crescent fixtures.

Away from home, however, the Minstermen have lost just once – against top-of-the-table Burton – in six games under Foyle.

He said: “It’s great we have added some new faces to the squad because the players need a little lift and changing things around will keep one or two people on their toes. There’s been a negative feeling at home and the fresh bodies haven’t been part of that, so they might just pick everybody else up.”

Brown is a former West Brom trainee, who made his debut on loan to Kidderminster at the age of 20 and scored in his first two senior games with the Harriers.

He went on to join Mansfield in a £50,000 deal and netted 24 times in 126 games for the Stags before moving to Wrexham last summer.

But the 25-year-old has not figured since Dean Saunders’ arrival as manager and played two games on loan with Rushden six weeks ago.

Foyle believes he can provide City with another welcome goal threat to lift some of the burden off leading marksman Richard Brodie, who is responsible for eight of the 12 goals scored during Foyle’s reign.

The City chief said: “Browny can play up front or on both wings and will give us a bit of speed.

“He can also score a goal and, recently, it seems to have been the same player poaching the goals. Daniel McBreen chipped in the other night but we haven’t had enough from other areas.”

Smith, 21, has turned down League Two Macclesfield to join City having begun his career under Foyle and his assistant Andy Porter at Port Vale.

He made his debut for Foyle as a teenager on New Year’s Day 2007 but left Vale for Scottish first division side Clyde last season after loan spells with Cambridge and Northwich.

Foyle, who attracted him to Wrexham in the summer, believes he will bring aggression to the City midfield.

Despite being sent off in only his third professional outing and again at Clyde last season, Foyle also feels Smith is now less impetuous.

The City boss said: “Christian’s a strong, left-footed midfielder. He was going to sign for Macclesfield but I just got in there before and I think the fact that they play the long ball unsettled him a little bit.

“When I first had him at Port Vale, he was very raw and would go around kicking people but he’s added a bit of maturity to his game which we’ve seen in training. He sticks his head in where it hurts and there aren’t many players like that now.”

Foyle revealed the double swoop does not mean his January transfer window business has been completed with talks still “ongoing” about bringing Gainsborough Trinity winger Adam Smith to the club.

He also added: “With some players coming in, some will have to go out and I will be having a little look at that.”