INJURIES left Phil Parkinson with a depleted squad but Phil Parkinson feels the addition of free agents Matty James and Jon Dadi Bodvarsson provides the competition for places he needs.

Midfielder James and striker Bodvarsson have both arrived at The Racecourse on short term deals until January.

James has been without a club since leaving Bristol City at the end of last season while Bodvarsson has been a free agent since his sting with Bolton Wanderers ended in the summer.

Bodvarsson, 32, who has won 64 international caps for Iceland, has added to Parkinson's attacking options.

Top scorer Jack Marriott suffered a broken leg in training a fortnight ago and is facing at least four months on the sidelines while Steven Fletcher is also out with a knee injury, leaving Paul Mullin, Ollie Palmer and Mo Faal as the only recognised strikers in the squad.

Parkinson is delighted to have another body to call upon up front in Bodvarsson who signed for Bolton in January 2022 and previously played for Wolves, Reading and Millwall after arriving in England in 2016, 

"We went from five strikers to three with Jack out and when Fletch's knee flared up," said the Reds' boss.

"We always keep an eye on the free transfer market anyway and we spoke to Jon.

"We got him over for a physical assessment last week and I feel he will be a good addition to the group.

"I think it is great to have the ability to change the strikers around in a game which we have done so well  this season.

"Like with Matty in midfield, it adds good competition and keeps the squad strong for this run up to January."

James, 33, made 104 appearances for Bristol City in three Championship campaigns and previously enjoyed a long spell with Leicester City were he was a promotion winner and was with the Foxes when they won the Premier League in 2016.

Parkinson has recruited holding midfielder James because George Evans is out until at least January after damaging ankle ligaments while Andy Cannon and George Dobson are walking a disciplinary tightrope and are one booking away from a suspension.

"I think that number six role is quite a specialised position for us," said Parkinson.

"It is a player who controls the game and has a lot of responsibility with and without the ball, and Matty specialises in that role.

"Obviously George Evans being out injured at least until January and George Dobson being on four bookings, we felt we needed another player.

"Matty has been training with us and he is a player of high quality. He is a great character and you can see that already, he has been brilliant around the group.

"Matty played a lot of Championship football last season. 

"A few deals didn't quite fall into place in the summer and all of a sudden you end up without a club when initially there was a lot of interest in him. 

"But all we are concerned about is he is here with us now and he is a good player for our young players to learn from as well."