Stafford manager Chris Brindley will maintain a wall of silence on players signed up until pre-season to assemble his squad for next season under the radar.

Rangers will be forced to operate on a shoestring this summer, with the budget thought to be half of what former boss Steve Bull had to bring players in for 2008/09.

It is relatively same as what the club finished the season on, with no players under contract.

The manager has spent most of June talking with the members of the current squad that he wants to keep, while it is thought that one or two new signings could also arrive in secret before the players return to training next month.

But Brindley will not name names, until he has a firm enough grip to stop potential predators pinching his stars.

He has already lost three – goalkeeper Tim Sandercombe, left-back Liam Murray and skipper Wayne Daniel.

Now the Marston Road boss has even suggested he may delaying naming his squad for 2009/10 right up until the first pre-season game at Kidsgrove on July 11.

He said: “We are down the road when it comes to the current playing squad, a few of them have verbally agreed to stay for next season. We will have to wait and see with the rest of the boys.

“I won’t reveal names though at this point, that relates to the players we are managing to keep on and the players we are prospectively looking at to bring in. If I keep it to myself, no-one can come in and try to beat me to it.

“The club has very little money, so we have to be smart in these situations. I will have to wait as long as possible.

“The first pre-season game will be a major indication of what side we will have for next season.”

Brindley has refuted suggestions that the club are not moving quickly and are not letting the fans know enough about what is happening on the playing front.

The Rangers boss feels that keeping his cards close to his chest is the only way he can successfully do business.

He added: “Let me tell you, football managers and players never stop talking to each other. Like I have said, everyone was made an offer and it’s up to the players.

“I can’t force them to sign.”