AFC Telford boss Rob Smith to decide on squad one-by-one

The Bucks finished a dismal National League North campaign this past weekend, ending up 17th, and the futures of the players are up in the air as Smith plans to rebuild his team for next term.

The Telford chief is desperate to lift the spirits of fans after two consecutive seasons toying with relegation and on when players find out if they fit in with his vision for the future, he said: “It will be over the next week or two.

“I will probably give them a few days break and then we will be meeting payers within the next fortnight, we will have met 90 per cent of them.

“We owe it to meet the players one by one, and decide what we will do with them. Some might not want to stay, even if I want them to.

“I don’t think there will be many, really, being here next season but we’ll see.”

Smith cited his and assistant boss Larry Chambers’ recruitment as one of the factors as to why Telford struggled so much over the course of the season.

Major signings last summer such as Lee Fowler and James Hurst did not come off, and the boss is determined to get players with the required ability, and character, on board.

“I would say our recruitment was not great. We need to get the right personnel in – that’s the key,” said Smith.

“We’ll juggle it about and have a look at what we have got, and what we are releasing. You have to wheel and deal but we are coming up against other teams but we have to try and get them down here.

“If I am honest, I would like a bit more locality. More local lads would be good. The motorways are a nightmare and it’s been difficult at times for us. We are meeting (new players) when we don’t really know what (money) we have got.”

He added: “I’m definitely up for the fight. I have thought long and hard about things, and I am not going to walk away.

“I want to give it another go and do everything I can, in my power, to get this club back to the one when I left.”