DEFENDER Robbie Williams has become the latest player to agree a new deal at Accrington Stanley.

Williams, 27, currently the longest serving player at the Fraser Eagle Stadium club, signed for a further 12 months.

He is the eighth Stanley player tied down for the 2007/08 campaign, along with Ian Dunbavin, Phil Edwards, Leighton McGivern, Rommy Boco, Paul Mullin, Tony Grant and Shaun Whalley.

Reds boss John Coleman - who is still waiting on several members of his squad to commit their future to Stanley - insists improving his side's defence remains a priority as he builds for next season.

The Reds finished their League Two campaign with the division's worst defensive record, having shipped 81 goals over the course of the 46-game programme.

The nearest challengers to that unwanted tag was relegated Boston, who conceded just one fewer goal.

Despite their leakiness at the back, Stanley survived the drop due to the highly impressive goal-scoring record.

They bagged 70 goals in total, joint second best in the division, and a better tally than League Two's three automatically promoted clubs, Walsall, Hartlepool and Swindon.

But Coleman is far from happy seeing his side concede so many.

"Going forward to next season, our goals against column has absolutely de-railed us this season and we've got to get that back," said Coleman "We need to improve our defence. But we maintain that we defend as a team and it's not just down to the back four or back five - with the goalkeeper.

"We've conceded goals as a team and we have to get the mentality that we have to become difficult to beat.

"We have been difficult to beat over the last seven or eight game, even through we have lost a few games by the odd goal to teams at the top "We have been more resilitent and we have to carry that on to next season."