Steve Lovell has praised the loyalty being shown by the players who are ready to pull on the Ashford Town shirt once the off-field problems are resolved.

Only striker Ian Pulman has left since co-chairman Don Crosbie applied for the club to go into administration last week.

Defender Adam Flanagan also left without playing a game but that move earlier this month was understood to be for personal reasons. Pulman’s decision to quit could have started an exodus but Lovell believes he has built a squad that are ready to put loyalty first.

Lovell said: "I’ve spoken to the players and they’ve decided to stay together and see it through. There are a lot of clubs interested in those players but they’ve been loyal to me and the club in the last 18 months.

"They are going to stick with us and hopefully play together and have some success in the Kent League."

Lovell has continued to train the players three times a week despite the playing ban on the club.

The Nuts and Bolts boss had started building a squad for Ryman League football but since dropping out of that league, his playing staff have been free to leave.

"I could have been left with four or five players and that would have been the time to worry," said Lovell, who with assistant Mark Patterson have led by example and stuck with the club.

"If you lay down the grounding like I have done last year, the year before and before that, then that helps. We’re all sticking together."