JIM PARMENTER insists that there could yet be MORE players leaving Crabble this summer.
The club issued its retained list, which confirmed that Buster Smissen, David Clifford, Kevin Lott and long-serving keeper Paul Hyde are not being offered new deals.
But the Whites chairman said it is likely that there would be further players leaving, especially if they are not to figure in manager Clive Walker’s plans for next season.
He said: “Retained lists centre on players who are out of contract and clubs confirm which players will be offered new deals and which ones will be released.
“The four players released were all out of contract – but obviously we have players at the club who are under contact. It may be that one or two of them may not figure in Clive’s plans for next season – and the manager will talk to those players about their futures.
“These players may have to consider their future away from the club but, at this moment in time, Clive, and the board, are assessing the situation.”
Jim and Clive have planned to meet a couple of their top summer targets this week and there could be news of new signings soon if talks are successful. News will be released when it happens but we ask fans to remain patient.
The Whites chairman said: “We’re after two or three specific quality players and will be speaking to a couple this week. The targets we’ve pin-pointed have not changed, despite not winning promotion to the Premier Division for next season.
“It was always our intention to strengthen the side, whatever division we ended up in. We’re going after exactly the same players we wanted had we been successful in getting promoted.
“Any player who is put off joining us by the fact we’re in Ryman One are not the kind of people we want at Dover Athletic.
“We are after certain qualities and prepared to be patient for the right players to become available for us. Sometimes these things take time but we’re hopeful that we’ll get the players we want.”
Meanwhile, fans favourite Chris Chase is a player Clive wishes to sign for next season and discussions have been held with the player and his agent.