Winchester City have bad news for next season's would-be Wessex League promotion chasers - the FA Vase winners and league/cup champions have no intention of breaking up.

Although team boss Neil Hards is steeling himself for a couple of losses this summer, he believes the bulk of the squad are hungry to make amends for last season when City heartbreakingly missed out on promotion because their Abbotts Barton headquarters was not up to scratch.

Seventy-six-goal hotshot Andy Forbes - subject of interest from Sheffield Wednesday - could well be sold with just a year to run on his contract, and it is almost certain that 21-year-old skipper Danny Smith will get his wish to play at a higher level.

But another of City's exciting midfield talents, Lloyd Webber, is happy to commit himself for another season and Hards anticipates that the majority of his teammates will follow suit now that the four-strong management team have resolved to stay on.

Hards, his two player/assistant managers, Mark Blake and Gary Green, and coach Steve Moss are remaining at the helm after assurances from director of football David Malone that the club are committed to climbing the non-league pyramid.

Hards, pictured, said: "I don't want to be with a club that doesn't want to progress and I needed to know that Winchester are not just happy to stay in the Wessex.

"There was no one person to blame for what happened last season. There were lots of factors involved.

"The club was at fault for not getting the ground ready, but there was also misinformation from the FA and the Southern League.

"The best thing is to draw a line under that and get on with it. We've had a terrific season and we've got too good a side to just let it break up.

"Three thousand people came to Birmingham for the Vase final and will remember that day for a long time. The last thing we want to do is chuck it all down the drain. I needed an assurance that if we were to win the league again next season - and it's a big if - that we wouldn't be in the same situation again and Dave has given me that."

Eastleigh are among the frontrunners to sign Forbes if his professional dream fails to materialise, but Hards said: "Much as I'd love to be where Eastleigh are (in the Isthmian Premier Division), I hope Andy values himself higher than that.

"It's the same with Danny Smith. They should be looking at Conference level at the very least to better themselves.

"Danny's contribution has been immense. The lad works his socks off. I've never seen a game when he hasn't come off the pitch deadbeat.

"He's a young lad who's got it all and I'd be very surprised if he was still with us at the start of next season. One or two players are bound to go, but I don't think it will upset the applecart. Having won the Vase, attracting quality players shouldn't be a problem."

l Former Salisbury midfielder Gary Funnell, who finished last season with Winchester City, has become Tommy Killick's first signing for Poole Town.