SALISBURY City's FA Cup exploits may well be over, but there is still a hive of activity at the club as manager Nick Holmes resumes the task of ensuring his side finish high enough in the table to secure their elevation to the restructured National League System.

Holmes has already bolstered the first team squad with the signing of Matt Tubbs from Dorchester Town and Craig Davis from Bashley - both ineligible for the Hillsborough cup tie - and there may be more new faces to come.

City have made bids for Eastleigh's Rob Marshall and Bashley's Aaron Cook. Although both are likely to be initially rebuffed, Holmes is unlikely to give up easily on the two defenders.

However, Holmes' quest for the pair means club stalwart Roger Emms' long association with the Whites is at an end.

The towering central defender is just three games shy of clocking up 500 appearances for the club.

Holmes told Journal Sport: "Roger wants first team football but I can't guarantee him that anymore. I offered him a job here helping bring on the youngsters where he would still get the occasional game, but he wants to play regularly."

Emms, the only surviving member of the club's 1998 FA Cup first round line-up to be in the squad at Hillsborough, is believed to be set to join City's Eastern Division rivals Burnham.

"Reluctantly we have agreed to let him go," added the City boss who was quick to praise Emms' contribution to the club.

"Roger has been a wonderful servant to this club and a good friend to me. When I was in America sorting things out when I first took over, Roger, along with Tom Killick and Andy Cook, was one of those I'd speak to regularly to keep things going here. I can understand his feelings and I wish him well for the future, as does everyone connected with Salisbury City Football Club.

"He knows we've made offers for Marshall and Cook who are defenders and he's seeing that he's slipping further down the pecking order."

Emms was not on the bench for the Sheffield Wednesday tie or for Saturday's 2-0 win against Corby Town.

"We're simply trying to improve the team," said Holmes. "There is super competition for places now. There wasn't even a place on the bench for John Purches last week.

"Our players now know that if they don't produce the goods they might not be in the team the next week."

Tubbs, who scored twice on Saturday, has signed a contract keeping him at the club until the end of the 2004/5 season.

"That's a major achievement as far as I'm concerned," said Holmes who now has the majority of his key players on long term contracts enabling him to plan ahead.

Meanwhile, Steve Witt has joined Stockbridge with Aaron Turner signing Wessex League forms for Lymington & New Milton. However, both players' Dr Martens League registrations will be retained by City.

Whites have decided not to pursue their interest in taking Weymouth's Mark Robinson on loan.

On Saturday, Whites head to strugglers Rothwell Town before Monday night's visit of Swindon Town for the first leg of the Wiltshire Premier Shield semi-final.

Michael Cooper is still side-lined by the knee injury he picked up at Hillsborough. Corby report: page 95.