Lack of money is holding Seager back in transfer market - EXCLUSIVE

Marc Seager’s attempts to bring “quality” players to Whitstable Town are being hampered as he’s being priced out of the market, writes Stephen McCartney.

The Whitstable Town manager saw his side play well, despite losing 2-0 to a lightening quick Dulwich Hamlet side at The Belmont yesterday.

The south Londoners won the first ever Ryman League Division One South match between the two clubs, courtesy of goals on the break from Shawn Beveney and substitute Mescach Nugent.

Seager, whose facing a defensive crisis, would like to add to his squad, but is finding it tough to bring in players on his budget.

“I’m always looking but it’s very hard to get players that have got experience and the quality to play at this level to pay them the money that we pay,” Seager said EXCLUSIVELY to www.kentishfootball.co.uk.

“But I don’t sulk about it, I don’t whinge and whine about it because at the end of the day the club are doing everything that they can.”

Seager, who led the club to the Kent League double last season, is pleased how his side have performed during their first fifteen Ryman League Division One South games.

“Like I was just saying to Tony (Rouse, Whitstable Town’s chairman) we’re holding our own in this league,” he said.

“We’re doing well, we’re doing very well because we haven’t really been beaten by, what I’ll say, is a better side at any time this season.

“A lot of times we’ve held our own in every game, really apart from the Tooting one, but what we are doing we keep shooting ourselves in the foot.

“We have a lot of possession without really hurting teams and look at today’s game, we lost 2-0, both of their goals came from us being in possession and that’s what you can’t afford to do at this level.”

Seager went into the game without Josh Maine (knee), Rob Thomas (ankle), Alex Hossick (groin) and Clint Gooding (calf), and feels he needs to strengthen his backline.

“We need them back,” he said. “I’m going to look to add to it and get other people in, if I can but at the end of the day, we’ve got a good changing room, good players in there.

“They can more than hold their own at this level so we’re doing well, we’re doing allright.”

Seager explained the advantages that potential new faces can receive at Belmont Road - other than a bigger bank balance.

“I can’t offer the big packet can we, but one of the things we do try and do is we are as professional as we are, as we can be on and off the field,” he said.

“We’ve got a great pitch, great supporters, great arena really and we just want people to come down and enjoy themselves and play for a good club.

“It’s a fantastic club, it really is, but money talks and the one thing I haven’t got is money.”

Steven Lloud and Michael Adcock are the only fit defenders in the first team squad.

“We need cover at the back really, but I thought they were fantastic today,” Seager said.

“But the problem I’ve got at the moment if they’ve got an injury, I started the season with five centre halves and now I’m down to two.”

And he added: “We miss a leader and I think we miss a leader in the middle of the park but to get a leader whose at this level you need to have a bit of money but as I say it’s always going to hold us back.”

Visit Whitstable Town’s website: www.whitstabletownfc.co.uk