Tauranga City United's charge to the Northern Region Football League Division Two title has been rewarded with two players picking up WaiBop United contracts.

Sam O'Regan and Jerahl Hughes have been signed by the franchise ahead of the start of the 2014/15 ASB Premiership season.

Tauranga City United players Sam O'Regan and Jerahl Hughes during this year's Northern Region Football League Division 2 season. Photos: Phototek.

The pair were instrumental in securing top spot for Tauranga during the winter.

Brighton-born centre-half O'Regan was the team's captain and one of their strongest performers throughout the campaign.

A robust defender, O'Regan also had a habit of chipping in with goals - most notably via spectacular free kicks.

The 2014 season was O'Regan's second for City United and he was influential in bringing his good friend Hughes to New Zealand at the start of the winter.

For his part, Hughes, also originally from Brighton, operated out wide or through the middle as an attacking midfielder, and was their chief playmaker during 2014.

Not only was he a provider of goals and Northern Region Football League Division 2 primary tormenter of defenders, his tally 17 played a major part in Tauranga's success.

WaiBOP United head coach Peter Smith is pleased to have both players involved in his squad this season.

'Sam and Jerahl have solid backgrounds in the game in the UK and will bring with them a desire to prove themselves at the highest domestic level here in New Zealand,” says Smith.

'It's that hunger that I think will help them be successful in the ASB Premiership. The step up from NRFL 2 is a big one, but Jack McNab proved last season it could be done.

'I think Sam and Jerahl will follow quite comfortably in his footsteps.”

Announcements on further player signings will follow soon.