Hawke's Bay United are paying the price for making the national summer league grand final last season, according to franchise operations manager Matt Hastings.
"After the tremendous success achieved last year in reaching the grand final, the bar has been raised for our franchise and our region," Hastings said last night before the team start the ASB Premiership in November.
Only three players - goalkeeper Joshua Hill and Manawatu defenders Finlay Milne and Sean Liddicoat - are returning to the Bay United fold in the second season under coach Brett Angell, whose side last summer created history in becoming the first Bay team to reach the grand final, where they lost 2-1 to Auckland City.
However, Milne is the only member of the Lotto Central League-winning TSB Bank Napier City Rovers squad this winter to sign with the franchise although captain Danny Wilson is attending trial this week to see if he makes the cut.
"The team's on-field achievements last year have highlighted the quality of our players and, in doing so, we are now competing with other franchises to secure those players, as they are more valuable," Hastings said, after 2014-15 captain Ross Haviland and striker Sean Lovemore, both of Auckland, were among players who did not return. The pair will ply their trade with Waitakere United.
