MACCLESFIELD Town assistant manager Steve Watson insists the club are only focusing on the future as they continue to prepare for next season.

It has been a tough summer for the club, with a number of their key players departing to move elsewhere.

While that may be the case, Watson still remains positive and is confident that it can be another successful year for the Silkmen.

“Everybody’s just buzzing to get back and started again. Whatever has gone on this summer all we can do as a club is look ahead. I’m looking forward to it for one,” he told the club’s official website.

Originally when the lads decided to move elsewhere you’re slightly disappointed because you don’t want to lose good people, but ultimately it’s given us a chance to start a fresh.

“Personally, I’m positive now, really positive and there’s still a lot of work to do, there’s still a lot of good players out there.

“It’s just a case of – as John (Askey) has alluded to before – being patient, not just bringing players in for the sake of it. We’ll have a good number of players to look at in the summer and I’m excited.”

Macclesfield have already made a number of signings over the past month, and also have several trialists training with the club this week.

Watson was excited to see what they can do, but admits they have to take their chance.

“We’ve have a good first week and there’s two or three more trialists coming in when the games start,” he said.

“We’ll have a look through them and if there are people we feel aren’t quite up to standard we’ll let them go, and the lads that do well we’ll keep on next week.

“It’s always good to access people in a match situation, training is great with 5-a-side but you want to see players in 11-a-side games. Like last season they’ll be two or three players involved in every game that are trialists.

“There are lads here from last season, people that you’re really pleased that they have stayed on and then as I say we’ve got lads in who’re looking to prove themselves, hopefully at a better level, a chance to challenge at the right end again.

“There’s quality players coming in on trial and we might just find one or two gems so I’m excited.”