King's Lynn Town boss Gary Setchell insists he will never get in the way of his players realising their professional dreams.

The Linnets have this month placed talented youngsters Ryan Fryatt, Dan Quigley, Chris Ward, George Thomson and Sam Mulready on 18-month contracts. But even though money will have to change hands to prize any of the quintet away from The Walks, Setchell is adamant the deals have not been put in place to block any potential paths into the Football League.

The Lynn manager, whose side host Stafford Rangers this afternoon, said: 'This isn't about selling the players, this is about protecting our own interest more than anything.

'The chairman (Buster Chapman) agrees. We haven't given them any pay rises and we're not going to start demanding £20,000 for a player. I'm trying to protect our football club at a minimum cost. I don't want to stop these boys going on to play League football. That's not what the contracts are about.

'The contracts are trying to keep this young group of players together and stop big-spending non-league teams coming in and nicking our best youngsters.'

Clubs now can't simply lodge a seven-day approach of interest to speak to one of Lynn's contracted stars, they will have to go through the club first. And Setchell admits as a result more young players, such as keeper Alex Street and defender Jordan Yong, could be given the chance to put pen-to-paper in the near future.