Kingstonian boss Alan Dowson says he will not be rushed into any transfer movement this summer and is confident players will come to him rather than the other way around.

Dowson this week confirmed Simon Huckle, Max Hustwick, Rob Tolfrey, Matt Gray and Mo Harkin have committed themselves to the club for another tilt at the Ryman League Premier Division crown.

The Kingsmeadow chief paid the price for nailing his colours to the mast early last summer as contracted players Luke Garrard, Tommy Williams and Liam Collins failed to make an impression after earning promotion from Division One South.

Dowson, who let the trio leave the club last week and released John Fletcher at the weekend, is unlikely to make the same mistake again as he hunts six new faces for the coming campaign.

But while he is keen to meet as many prospective new players as possible, he will be leaving it as late as possible to confirm his squad for the opening day of the season.

“This time last year I had everybody sorted, but I’ll not have anyone signed up for another couple of weeks yet,” he said.

“I’ve spoken to a couple of targets and some have turned us down, but I’m not too bothered.

“I want players who want to play for this club. Kingstonian means something again. It is a club going places and if that is not a big enough pull for players then so be it. I’ve got stacks of time.

“We are looking for five or six players, but I don’t think I need my squad finalised until two or three weeks before the first day.

“I need to be flexible. A couple of good players will come up late in the day and I need to be in a position to sign the best players I can.”

Ks lost out in the play-off final at Boreham Wood and still await a Football Association judgement on whether the hosts will face sanctions in the wake of a Wood fan’s attack on skipper Francis Duku.

A replay looks increasingly unlikely, but it is who will avoid the end of season lottery all together next year that has Dowson’s attention.

“I think Sutton United will do a Dartford next season and they are my tip for the title straight away with Margate and Billericay pushing them close,” he added.

“They have a very strong squad and adding Richard Jolly to it is only going to make them harder to beat.”