YORK City manager Martin Foyle is ready to bolster his midfield by giving latest loan signing Levi Mackin a debut at Eastbourne tomorrow.

Mackin, 22, is set to line up alongside former Wrexham team-mates Christian Smith and Simon Brown in the City engine room, with another Racecourse Ground recruit Kyle Critchell continuing at right-back.

The 6ft midfielder has made 69 appearances and scored two goals for the Welsh club, making his debut in 2004 at the age of 18 during a League One meeting with Wycombe.

He spent three months on loan with Droylsden last season and has not featured in Wrexham’s first team since November.

Former Dragons assistant manager Foyle has also defended his decision to raid his old club after adding Mackin, who is one booking away from suspension, to his squad.

The City chief said: “I think a lot of people will be thinking ‘not another one from Wrexham’, but then a lot of people have said to me that the players I’ve brought in are better than the ones we have had. So I will take that as a plus and, if we can tempt Adam Smith back as well, it would represent good changes for the club. We’ve not been right in the middle of the park because we haven’t been switching play, getting forward or scoring goals from there.

“Changes needed to be made and some people will go and some will come in. That’s football.

“Levi can play with both feet and is a decent size. He’s similar to Christian Smith in that he can get around the pitch and snap into a few tackles.”

Former Wrexham trialist Adam Smith, who returned to Gainsborough a fortnight ago after a month’s loan spell with City, also looks closer to thrashing out a permanent move to KitKat Crescent.

Foyle added: “There’s a light at the end of that tunnel now and, hopefully, there will be some good news during the early part of next week.”

The City boss went on to express his satisfaction at the outcome of the meeting he requested with chairman Jason McGill following Tuesday night’s 3-1 Setanta Shield defeat at Barrow.

Foyle said: “He has been great and came in the next morning because he wanted to talk as well. We have a good working relationship and we both want the best for the club.

“He allowed me to go ahead with Levi and hopefully there will be one other through the door. I think the best players here will also respond positively to us bringing new players in.”

Foyle revealed he ran the rule over Leeds United trialist midfielder Ollie Hotchkiss during Wednesday’s 5-1 reserve defeat to Hartlepool with one eye on his plans for next season.

He said: “We had a good look at him and he did all right. We will assess the situation at the end of the season when we know whether Leeds are offering him a contract or not.” Foyle added that he would consider approaches for any of his current squad before the transfer window closes at the end of the month.

He said: “Nobody is indispensable and if we got the right offer, or somebody wants to take someone on loan, we would look at it.”