Heathcote eyes big rebuilding job

Boss Graham Heathcote admits there is a big rebuilding job to do at Altrincham if they are to return to the Blue Square Premier at the first attempt.

The Robins were relegated after drawing their final game 2-2 at Weymouth.

"It will be very difficult for us because Blue Square North is a very, very tough league," Heathcote told BBC Radio Manchester.

"Some comments were attributed to me that I never made - the cliche managers say about bouncing straight back."

He added: "I never said that because it would be disrespectful to the sides in the league.

"I know the sides in there like Stalybridge and Hyde, and it's a tough, tough league.

We don't contract our players because of the difficulties we had five years ago Graham Heathcote

"We know what it's about and we've got to sit down now and analyse the way forward.

"It will be hard because we're in the hands of the players and have been for five years now.

"We've been based a bit on loyalty, to be honest, because unlike most clubs at our level we don't contract our players because of the difficulties we had five years ago.

"First thing we'll have to do is for the club to set its stall out as to what we want to do in terms of budgets and things like that."