DORCHESTER boss Mick Jenkins has made "a real coup" by signing former Portsmouth goalkeeper Alan Knight on to the coaching staff.

Knight played in all four divisions of the Football League for Pompey, setting the record for the most appearances of a goalkeeper for a single club - Knight played in 801 matches, 683 in the league - surpassing Chelsea stopper Peter Bonetti's tally.

He was the club's second longest serving player, earning the nickname The Legend' from the Fratton Park faithful.

Latterly, Knight was employed as the goalkeeping coach for FC Dallas for the US Major League Soccer season, having retired from playing duties in 2000 to become the goalkeeping coach at Fratton Park. He was awarded an MBE in 2001 for services to football.

"He is a real coup for Dorchester," said Jenkins. "He is a top, top coach."

Knight has coached under Harry Redknapp and Jim Smith at Portsmouth and is currently working alongside Kevin Bond at Bournemouth whilst assisting Jenkins at the county town club.

"He has got other offers but he is a good friend of mine," added Jenkins. "We go back a long way, back to our junior days at Portsmouth."

Knight made three appearances at Havant & Waterlooville under Jenkins in 2001, helping out in an injury crisis.

"He has been a great help to me over the years. I am delighted to have that connection."

The Magpies' manager is continuing his efforts to add to the playing staff and has been to matches involving Bournemouth and Southampton Reserves. "I am looking all the time," Jenkins added. "I know what I need and the chairman (Chris Pugsley) has been absolutely fantastic backing me all the way."

Jenkins believes additions are required to supplement the quality already in the squad, especially with the busy schedule over the Christmas period, and to create competition for places.

He said: "I think we need more quality and ability. You need a good squad around you. We have never had the biggest of squads."

Meanwhile, reserve boss Kevin Hillier is optimistic the Magpies' second string, if it continues, can aid the progression of the club. The fate of the reserves will be decided at a board meeting next week.

Hillier said: "I'll just carry on until I hear different. It is working for me and Dorchester at the moment, so we will just see what happens."

He believes the reserves are a breeding ground for talented young local talent but concedes that the step up from the Dorset Premier League to the Conference South would be difficult for many of his players.

"It is too big a step for most of them," he said.

"We have got some young lads and we can get some in the first team if they work hard enough, so that is an incentive," said Hillier, who praised Sam Clarke, the county under-18's captain, and left-wing Matt Moores.

Hillier believes Moores is ready to step up to the Magpies' first team - if called upon by Jenkins - and is aware of interest from other clubs, including Wessex Premier Division side Bournemouth Poppies.

Dorchester's Dorset Senior Cup round three fixture with Shaftesbury, postponed on Tuesday due to a waterlogged pitch, has been re-arranged for Wednesday, December 6.