AFC Fylde manager Dave Challinor admits that heading back into pre-season without a goalkeeper on the books is less than ideal.

Both of last season’s stoppers have left for pastures new with Ben Hinchliffe joining Stockport County and Matt Urwin moving to Fleetwood Town at the weekend.

However, Challinor admits he is in no mad rush to fill the void: “It’s not ideal to go from having two goalkeepers to having none.

“We have spoken to a lot of goalkeepers but as with every other player we have been looking at, we have to be patient.

“We could dive in and offer someone a deal but we would rather wait to get the right one. The better players become available the closer we get to the season. At the moment these players are touting themselves about and asking for unrealistic money.

“Players are in a strong position at the moment but in a few weeks there will be some that haven’t received any offers matching what they want and that’s when we can strike. That’s when it switches and the clubs are in a strong position.

“If we can get someone with experience then great, but there are plenty of goalkeeper out there higher up the leagues that are ready to go out on loan. There is a lot competition for places because obviously there is only one spot for a goalkeeper in a team.

“We don’t really mind if they are experienced, young or whatever, as long as they are the right fit for our team. We want the right goalkeeper with the right physical attributes, one that can play with their feet and someone would fits in with the direction we are heading.

“We have had lots of names throw at us and it down to us to pick the right one now.”

Whilst Challinor admits he saw one goalkeeping departing coming, he was surprised by Urwin’s decision to join Fleetwood.

“We were already aware of Ben’s situation and that we would lose him because he has a good job that he didn’t want to leave.

“Matt’s situation was a little different. Obviously we would have liked to keep him but he has made the decision to go to Fleetwood.

“He will be doing some coaching over there and I think they see him as much as a coach as a player. Personally I think it’s a bit of an odd decision because he will more than likely be playing development squad football and at his age I think that is a bit of a backwards step.

“If I were him I still want to be a number one somewhere but that’s his decision and all the best to him.

“We certainly have players that are good enough to play in the Football League but I’d want to be going there knowing I would be in and around the first team.

“It’s different if we have 17 or 18 year old lads in our team and Football League clubs come in and take them for their development squad. But if you have been playing first team football for a while, to step back into development squad is a big decision, particularly with the strength of our league that we play in.

“Plus a lot of clubs higher up are looking into non-league now for players rather than going into their own development squads.”