DELIGHTED to land his first two summer signings, Forest Green boss Mark Cooper insists Lee Collins and Callum Evans ‘fit the profile’.

Cooper is confident his captures from Mansfield Town and Barnsley on two-year and one-year deals respectively, will give his side the edge in League Two.

Cooper said: “Lee was a target that we identified early, he’s played a lot of games and got promotion from the league we’re going into.

“He’s a good defender – solid, strong, powerful, mobile – tidy on the ball. Fits the profile of what we’re after and more importantly he’s a good character, gives us that steel in the changing room.”

“He wanted to play for a club where he had a chance to get another promotion on his CV and that is what we want to try and do.”

Meanwhile, Collins feels ‘honoured’ to become Rovers’ first ever League Two signing.

And just four days after his new side beat Tranmere 3-1 at Wembley, Collins was swiftly snapped up by boss Mark Cooper after leaving Mansfield Town last week.

He said: “I’m honoured, it’s really humbling and I’m glad to be on-board.

“Everyone in the Football League knew Forest Green would get to the League at some stage, and thankfully they did it this year.

“This club is going places, any footballer who gets interest from this club should be flattered.

“The dream of what the chairman and manager want to do here was too good to turn down.”

Asked about what he will bring to The New Lawn, Collins said: “I’ve got plenty of experience; I like a tackle, a header, I like to get on the ball and play.”

With clashes against Swindon, Exeter, Cheltenham, Yeovil and Newport coming up, he said: “Nothing beats a derby day and we’ve got four or five coming up this season, with the fans here right on top of you next to the pitch, it will be great.”

Once on the books of Manchester United, Evans ,21, agreed a one-year deal at The New Lawn after his release from Championship side Barnsley.

He appeared three times in the second-tier for the Tykes last season in clashes with Rotherham, Wolves and Bristol City.

Evans also spent time on loan in the National League at Macclesfield Town during February.

Commenting on his transfer to The New Lawn, Evans said: “I feel privileged to be coming here after the season the club had last year.

“The club is on a massive high at the moment and they’ve got high expectations in the next couple of years.

“Hard work and determination gets you to where you are so if I take that on board and do well here, do well for the club, then see what happens in the future.”

Cooper added: “He is one we’ve been tracking for a while and we wouldn’t have got him if we hadn’t got promoted.”