“I LOVED playing for Taunton Town and I always will,” says Jamie Price, as the defender returns to his hometown club ahead of the 2019/20 season.

The 32-year-old played for the Peacocks for three seasons between 2013 and 2016, and after three years at local rivals Tiverton Town, he has agreed to rejoin the Somerset club.

Price told the County Gazette: “I received a call from Rob [Dray, Taunton’s head of football] a couple of weeks ago, to highlight his interest and put feelers out for next season really.

“It all went from there; I had three good years at Tiverton, but Taunton’s my hometown club, they’re on the up at the moment and there’s so much positivity around it.

“Being from Taunton, I loved playing for them and I always will.”

Price said that a lot had changed at the Viridor Stadium since his departure three years ago, with the Peacocks playing at Southern League Premier level and aiming to go even higher after finishing a point off winning promotion to the National League last season.

He explained: “When I was here there were a couple of hundred fans at games, now they’ve tripled that, and you have the social media around it and more coverage of the club as well.

“They’ve made some big signings in the last three years; they’re a high standard of players, who’ve played in the leagues above.

“It’s a good side now, and that’s brought more fans in.”

The reception from the supporters has been overwhelmingly positive; as a fans’ favourite before, even a move to bitter rivals Tiverton has not dimmed his popularity.

“You can only hope for a positive reception [from the fans],” Price said.

“Taunton’s always been close to my heart, I’ve always wanted them to do well wherever I was playing, and hopefully that’s come across.”

He’s also looking to settle quickly into the dressing room, as he already knows the likes of Ollie Chamberlain, Lloyd Irish and Jamie Short – as well as boss Dray and his assistant Matt Villis.

Not that Price is expecting to slot straight into the team without a fight.

“It’s a brilliant squad; they were unlucky last year and deserved more in the play-offs,” he said.

“It will be hard for me and the other new signings to break into the team, we’ll have to work for it.

“Hopefully we can go one better this season.”

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HEADING the other way is Craig Veal, the striker who made it to 258 Peacocks appearances last season.

He returned for a third spell at the club in January 2018, but has largely been restricted to substitute appearances and playing in the cup competitions.

Effectively fifth in the pecking order behind fellow forwards Andrew Neal, Dan Sullivan, Matt Wright and new signing Josh Grant, Veal has gone to pastures new.

Willand Rovers won last season's Toolstation Western League, and have added Veal to bring more firepower into their Evo-Stik Southern League campaign in 2019/20.