Met Police manager Jim Cooper says money is doing the talking in the Ryman League, after influential midfielder Ty Smith joined rivals Canvey Island last week.

Cooper said Smith, who joined the Met in the summer of 2010, was lured to north Kent by an “offer he could not refuse”.

Now, without Smith or Billy Crook – who has left in search of football higher up the non-League pyramid – Cooper is looking for new play-makers in the middle of the park.

He said: “Ty left with a heavy heart, but Canvey offered him something we could not match. It was too good an opportunity for him to miss.

“But that is what we’re up against. There seems to be far more money in the league this year, and we’ve already been outbid for four or five players where we cannot match what other clubs are offering.

“Where this money is coming from, I have no idea.”

Cooper continues to run the rule over a squad of trialists having seen them beat Walton Casuals at the weekend, and then take on Tooting & Mitcham on Tuesday night.

His charges face Hillingdon Borough this weekend, after which Cooper hopes to have some names signed.

He said: “We do need to replace Ty and Billy, they were the key men in the middle. But I have a few central midfielders I am watching and hopefully we will speak over the weekend.

“We have four or five weeks until the start of the season so there is time to get things sorted out.”