MANAGER Darren Byfield says he won’t be rushed into making the wrong signings for Redditch United.

Jake Jones agreed a deal last week and the Reds boss admits there will be plenty of more new faces coming in ahead of the Southern League Premier campaign – but all of them on his terms.

“This time last season I had probably signed seven or eight players but they were all on recommendations because I didn’t know the league,” Byfield said. “I know the league now and I know what’s needed.

“The hard part is that other teams are throwing silly money at it but Redditch won’t do that – we’ll do it the right way and be successful in doing it the right way.

“There will be a lot of new players coming in and they will be players who want to play for Redditch United and who are not playing just for the money – and if it means I have to wait before signing the right players then so be it.

“Last season I was handing out the money they wanted and it was money that they probably didn’t deserve. That’s not going to happen this season. There won’t be any panic signings, the ones coming in will be the ones I want to sign.

“Every player that I sign for Redditch United will be a player that I want, a player that I believe will help us be successful, a player I believe won’t shirk a challenge, a player I believe will keep going for 90 minutes, a player I believe that when things aren’t going right will tell others they’re not pulling their weight and a player who I believe wants to be successful and ambitious.

“We weren’t ruthless enough up top last season and we weren’t ruthless enough at the back. And for too many games we didn’t have the nous and physical capabilities to control the middle of the park.

“We need someone to put the ball in the net and we need men in midfield and at the back. But it’s important that we also have two or three with that X Factor – the ability to make things happen.”

The Reds boss also revealed those players he wanted to keep at the Trico Stadium.

“Looking at last year’s squad, Brad Catlow will be with us again,” Byfield added. “He was player of the year last season and he’s someone we can work with to develop as he has the potential to be a very good goalkeeper.

“Arjun Jung will be here. He’s a player who came in towards the end of last season and showed some fire, getting involved when the opposition wanted to kick our players. I want players who show that fire and not players who, when you go a goal down, let their heads drop. They might not be as talented as other players but they want to work hard and that’s what fans want – the chance to see a team who, for 90 minutes, give everything they have.

“I’m also looking to keep Dior Angus, Donnell Benjamin and a few of the young boys who came in at the end of the season – lads like Kaylum Mitchell and Zaqib Hussain.”