MARK Yates is ready to start "fine tuning" his Cheltenham Town squad in preparation for his fourth full campaign at the helm.
He now knows exactly how much cash he has to work with after a meeting with chairman Paul Baker yesterday, and he is already closing in on his first new signing.
Yates also spoke to his backroom staff yesterday, with assistant Neil Howarth and senior sports therapist Ian Weston joining him to lay down plans for how to improve on this term's fifth-placed finish and defeat in the play-off semi-finals by Northampton Town.
An extensive list of names were discussed and among the targets are sure to be at least two strikers, a winger, a creative midfielder and a central defender.
"It's not a rigid list of one, two, or three targets because if you do that you'd be struggling," Yates said.
"But we do have one or two players we'd really like to bring to the club and we have lists of other players we might be able to bring here.
"We'll work through it slowly, making sure we do all we can.
"I've made contact with one or two players who I would love to bring in, but so would 23 other clubs in our division.
"I've had lots calling me too and one interesting one came up on Tuesday, so between myself, Neil and Wes we'll collate all the names and all our homework throughout the season and we'll be going after people now."
Yates has spent time poring through lists of available players circulated by clubs as he bids to add quality to supplement those already contracted at the Abbey Business Stadium.
"The retained lists are starting to come out now and we are a little bit later with ours because of the play-offs," he said.
"There are still loads of players out there and most managers want to re-jig their squads and shuffle it around and we are the same.
"But we have a good base and we'll just try and add better players to what we've had."
Yates confirmed he plans to use the loan market again next season, having enjoyed success with the likes of Luke Garbutt, Jack Butland, Michael Hector and Shaun Harrad over the past two years.
"It's a good market to tap into, be it for a 26-year-old striker or a 19-year-old defender," he said.
"We certainly have one or two names on our loan list for next season and it can be a massive help."
Yates and Howarth's contracts have another year to run and Baker is keen to agree an extension – something Yates will be happy to thrash out.
"I am still really enjoying my time at this football club and that's extremely important," Yates said.
"We love the place, we have played for the club and we know what it's about. There are a lot worse chairmen to work for too.
"The board know how I work and I am not on the phone to them every day asking for things because I don't like being turned down.
"I only ask if I think it is right and that the club will benefit from it."
Cheltenham's players are due to report back for pre-season training on Thursday, June 27.
