MANAGER: We've got to stay patient

With United’s first signings made manager Paul Simpson spoke once again about the work going on in the background.

“It’s been quiet in terms of players coming in but we’re certainly working hard to get them here,” he said. “It’s taking a bit of time and we’ve just got to be patient.

“I’m pleased to get Jack [Robinson] done, and Alfie [McCalmont] and I’m hopeful that a few more will follow in the next few days. We can then see where we go from there.

“It’s frustrating, of course it is, because ideally I would have liked more in before we start back on Wednesday. The truth of it is, it is what it is, we can’t do anything about it.

“That’s why there’s no point in me getting too frustrated or stamping my feet. If one doesn’t come in, which has been the case, we simply move on to another one of our targets and go again.

“We’re doing everything we possibly can to get a group together that can start the season. I actually can’t wait to see them again this week, even though it feels like only yesterday that we were at Wembley.

“That’s the bonus of getting to a cup final and winning. I’d much rather be coming back to work with the lads on Wednesday after winning at Wembley then if we’d lost it.”

On how many more he'd like to add, he told us: "Last summer I had it in my mind that I'd need about 10 by the time we got to May but, to be really honest, I didn't think that I'd be looking for a League One squad.

"I used 28 last year, but I want a smaller, tighter squad this time. I don't want to use that many.

"I want a little bit more experience to come in, we're working on that, and I want more young and hungry players as well.

"The short answer is that I think we need six or seven more on top of the two we've just added."

 

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