CARL Macauley has said he is happy to be patient putting together a team he hopes can challenge for promotion.

He told the Guardian he has been left frustrated by transfer targets turning down offers to play for Witton Albion following the club’s switch to the Northern Premier League’s Division One South.

It means his squad may not be complete until shortly before the season’s first game.

“Managers will always tell you they want the group sorted before the first training session,” he said.

“But that rarely happens.

“It would be nice to be a bit further on than we are, but the reality is players have been reluctant to commit.

“Some have said they’re not interested in playing in the ‘Southern League’, and I’ve had to point out to them that we’re still in the Northern Premier League!

“I’m calm and still positive; and at my previous clubs I’ve always kept a bit of the budget back in case a lad on trial impresses or somebody becomes available after training with a team elsewhere for a couple of weeks.”

One player who won’t be featuring in red and white next term is Danny Andrews, who has joined Colwyn Bay after the Welsh outfit paid a four-figure fee for his services.

Midfielder Tom Schofield had moved in the same direction.

Macauley said: “You never want to lose your best players, particularly one that contributes the number of goals he did.

“It came out of the blue, and he was in our plans.

“He was great for us, but when a player wants to leave then it’s hard to stand in his way and block it.”

Chairman Mark Harris has said already the former Marine boss can spend the money on new recruits.

He added: “Danny was a joy to work with.

“His record speaks for itself, and he was a fantastic servant to our club.

“This wasn’t something that could have been resolved by offering him more money; he expressed a desire to leave, citing a change in his personal circumstances and the fact he was conferenced about the additional travelling.

“Our door is open if he changes his mind.”

Harris revealed Macauley had spoken to more than 20 players since the end of last season.

Almost all of them have given the same reason for signing elsewhere.

“We’ve been knocked back time and again,” he admitted.

“It’s been extremely frustrating for Carl, but like any good manager he has a long list of alternatives and we still have irons in the fire.

“This feels to me like a situation where players’ perception is different to reality.

“We’ll travel, on average, an extra 20 minutes or so every other Saturday, but that’s not what we’re hearing back.

“It’s our rivals that are travelling further because they have to visit Northwich!”

Witton are scheduled to play a first friendly of pre-season at Vauxhall Motors, one of Macauley’s former clubs, next Tuesday.