Setchell expects his retained Steelmen to ‘find another level’

Over the past week, the Steelmen have confirmed that 12 members of the squad that just missed out on a play-off place in the Northern Premier League Midlands last time out have been retained for what will be boss Setchell’s first full season in charge at Steel Park.

Captain Michael Jacklin will be back for the next campaign alongside Danny Gordon, Tomasz Bukowski, Jason Alexander, Hilton Arthur, Jordan O'Brien, Callum Milne, Kalern Thomas, Matty Slinn, Toby Hilliard, Tristan Thompson-Matthews and Charley Sanders.

Connor Furey, Daniel Collins and Scott Floyd were released while Tsaguim Florian turned down an offer in a bid to find a club at a higher level.

“The lads who we have kept from last year will find another level next season because we will have a totally different mindset,” Setchell said.

“We are going to be a relatively young group, we are going to be very hard-working and hard work at this level with lads who can play a bit isn’t the worst recipe.

“We will get the group close-knit and pulling in the same direction and we will be one of seven or eight teams who think they can occupy a top-five position.

“It’s a good league and it will hopefully be an exciting ride.”

The task for Setchell now will be to add fresh faces to his squad as he targets a promotion bid.

“Obviously, we are now looking to bring lads in,” the Steelmen boss added.

“We need to find the right players with the right work ethic to compliment the players we have already got.

“We have been in that process for the past couple of weeks. But it’s that funny time where players we are looking at are speaking to other clubs and we have already lost one or two.

“The simple fact is that one or two clubs have more pennies than us but I am comfortable with where we are.

“We have got six or seven we are talking to and hopefully we will get three or four of them and then that would leave us one or two to find in pre-season to take us up to 17 or 18.

“I am happy. When I went into the club in January, work started then for next season with putting a bit of groundwork in with the players.”