Hythe Town have started planning for next season after conceding defeat in the race for the play-offs.

The Cannons were 10 points adrift of the top-five in Bostik South East after losing 2-1 at Horsham on Saturday.

They’ve underperformed this season and boss Sam Denly is determined it won’t happen again.

He admitted: “It would be a miracle now if we got in the play-offs. I’m having conversations with players and the chairman about next season and we might make a few changes for the remainder of this season.

“I wouldn’t say we’ve got much hope now unless we did pull off a miracle so it’s not something I’m really looking to now.

“I’ve got a meeting with Paul (Markland) about budgets and there might be a few slight changes in terms of personnel.

“It gives players a chance to show what they’re about, stake a claim and see if they want to be around for next year.

“The boys have got to work hard and show they want to compete in these last eight games and show they want to stick around for next season.

“We’re a club that’s trying to move forward and I’ll be trying to build a side that can improve on this season.

“We want to be competing for silverware so if it’s not going to happen this year, it’s something we’ll be striving for next season and players have to show they want to be part of that.”

Denly already has an idea of how he wants his squad to look.

He said: “The majority of players I want to keep for next year are contracted, so that’s a good start. Sid Sollis and Tom Carlton are definitely players I want to build around.

“Sid (who’s on loan) obviously isn’t done for next year but we’ll have a conversation with him and Margate and see how we go.

“Tom and Chris Kinnear are contracted, and players like Ollie Rowe, so we’ve got a good nucleus.

“It’s now making sure I get the balance right and bring the right players in who are going to work well with those guys.

“This is a fairly new team. We’ve signed six or seven players and it hasn’t quite worked.

“Even on Saturday, we had Sid and Tom in and we were strong but it didn’t quite click.

“We haven’t quite got it right this season with the players we brought in and that’s not a dig at the players, that’s my fault.

“We need to get the core group of players right in terms of the spine and add accordingly.

“Hopefully we can build another decent squad for next season.”

Hythe host Whyteleafe on Saturday.