BROMSGROVE Sporting are hopeful of keeping ‘a majority’ of their squad together for next season despite missing out promotion for a second successive year.
The Rouslers finished their Midland Football League Division One campaign just three points behind champions Highgate United before going on to claim the Les James Challenge Cup earlier this month.
Manager Paul Smith told The Standard a number of his players had already attracted interest from clubs in higher divisions, including Reece Hewitt and Sean Brain.
But he said he was confident of retaining their services for another season as he attempts to get Bromsgrove promoted.
“A lot of these players have come to play for this football club because I have brought them here and they want to come and play for me,” Smith said.
“I have worked with a lot of them for a number of years, like Sam Wills and Reece Hewitt, and they are just two who could go and play at a higher level.
“Clubs are also looking at Josh MacKenzie, Craig Jones, Sean Brain, Chrisi Conway – the list is endless because we have done so well and I would not stand in anyone’s way to go.
“But there is a reason behind a majority of those players playing at this club and I don’t believe anyone will leave us to go and play for anyone at this level or even one level higher.
“They are a really good group and I am looking forward to working with a majority of them next year, so I see no reason why they would be tempted away unless it is to a much bigger club.”
Smith said he was also considering bringing in a few new faces in the summer once he and his players returned for pre-season training next month.
“There are three or four players that I am targeting to bring into the group and there are many others out there which I can go and get,” he said.
“There is a certain type of player that I have at a football club and this group have been first class as they have shown great desire and work rate.
“We will look to keep that together and if we can add three or four to that we should not be far off from having a right good crack at the title again.”
Smith added: “What I have got to do now is sit down with the board and see what they are looking for next year and hopefully their ambition matches mine and we can go and try and win it next year.”
