Josh Bull, a striker who has netted more than 50 goals over the last two Welsh League season, will have a first taste of Southern League football on Saturday.
Bull has scored 73 goals in 107 Cwmbran Celtic appearances and has now signed for promotion-chasing Merthyr Town. He makes his debut against Cambridge City at Penydarren Park on Saturday (2.30pm).
The Martyrs are fifth in the Premier Division, ahead of closest rivals Banbury United on goal difference.
Only the title winners will be promoted automatically – leaders Chippenham Town are favourites to fill that slot – with the next four clubs qualifying for the play-offs.
That makes Saturday’s clash with second-from-bottom Cambridge City a crucial fixture for Merthyr in their quest to go up via the play-offs.
Manager Gavin Williams was facing a crisis this week with strikers Kayne McLaggon and Ryan Prosser both injured, but he moved quickly to snap up Bull hours before the Southern League deadline for the registration of new signings.
The 24-year-old forward has been Cwmbran Celtic top scorer in each of his four seasons with the club and his 32 goals in 2015-16 made him the top scorer in all three divisions of the Welsh League.
He played for Blaenavon Blues as a junior, then came through Celtic Youth Academy.
Bull played for Abertillery Bluebirds, returned to Celtic for two seasons and left in 2014-15 when he played for Monmouth Town and then Goytre.
The goals ace rejoined Celtic in 2015-16 and led the Gwent club to promotion from Division Two.
He signed for Welsh Premier League side Aberystwyth in the summer, but returned to the Cwmbran a month later.
The Martyrs have lost McLaggon (fractured cheekbone) and Prosser (back) to injuries and Williams badly needs to strengthen his squad.
The visitors to Merthyr’s LoadLok Community Stadium are relegation battlers Cambridge City.
Play-off Banbury are away against inconsistent Stratford Town and if they fail to win that would be a bonus for Merthyr.
Cambridge City spent all but the early days of the season in the relegation zone, although the appointment of new manager Robbie Nightingale at the end of November after a run of 15 games without a win did produce an initial improvement.
That started with a 1-0 win over the Martyrs in his first game.
Cambridge City have scored only 37 league goals this season and that is the worst record in the division.
The Lilywhites’ lack of goals is underlined by the face that Tunde Adewumni, who started the season well with eight goals by mid-October but who was then released by the club just over a month later.
The top scorer of the current players is teenager Charlie Woolfe with seven goals, the next highest being fellow 18-year-old Matt Foy, with three to his name since joining on a youth loan from League Two side Cambridge United towards the end of January.
Left-back Paul Cooper was carried off on a stretcher during their defeat at Weymouth last Saturday and 38-year-old first team coach Dave Theobald may feature among the substitutes for Cambridge.
Cambridge City will be remembered from last season for Merthyr’s aggregate 7-1 win over them in the two legs of the Red Insure League Cup final with Ryan Prosser scoring five of the goals.
Merthyr Town’s remaining Southern League fixtures this season
March
Saturday 25 v Cambridge City (home, 3pm)
April
Saturday 1 v Kings Stanley (away, 3pm)
Saturday 8 v St Neots Town (away, 3pm)
Saturday 15 v St Ives Town (3pm)
Monday 17 v Redditch United (away, 3pm)
Saturday 22 v Hayes and Yeading (home, 3pm)
Entry prices to Merthyr Town matches at Penydarren Park: Adults £10; Senior Citizens (65 and over) plus Cardiff City/Swansea City season ticket holders £8; Students (16-18 years of age) £7; Under 16 £1; Under 6 free.