‘Positive conversations’ – Agutter confident over Worthing FC stars staying put

The Woodside Road boss has started talking to players about another Rebels campaign and says conversations have been positive.

Agutter also wants to have more time with his squad each week as the club edge towards the full-time status that most sides at the top end of National League South now adopt.

The manager, staff, players and fans are reflecting on a third season of play-off disappointment following last Wednesday’s 2-0 loss at home to Maidstone United in the eliminator – which set up the Stones to win at Eastbourne Borough and go through to a final at Boreham Wood.

But Agutter said thoughts had already turned to next season – and there were many reasons to be optimistic looking ahead.

“When you go so close, as we have this season, it makes you more hungry and determined to build on what you’ve achieved,” he told us.

“We lost out on the title by one point so we have to look at how we got so close but also why we missed out.

“Our target was to win 30 games and we won 26. Next season we’ll again aim to win 30 in order to win the league.

“We know where we need to improve and that includes more firepower in front of goal and more size and physicality in our back-line to resist more direct teams.

“We also need more contact time with the players. That doesn’t have to be about the budget, but about how you use your pot of money.”

Agutter believes the Rebels’ style of play means they won’t be short of players wanting to play for them – though he also expects other clubs to go after some of his stars.

"Conversations with the existing squad have been positive. They’ve loved playing for Worthing and I’d be surprised to lose any we want to keep.

"We’d expect to add maybe three or four and we have a big squad that needs reducing.”

Torquay, Eastbourne Borough and Dorking Wanderers will be back in the league next season, while Dagenham & Redbridge and Ebbsfleet are set to come in after relegation from the division above.

“It’s clearly going to be very competitive again,” Agutter added.