Steve Watt anticipates interest in his Hythe Town squad following their run to the Isthmian South East play-off final.

The Cannons lost 1-0 to Whitehawk on Friday night and Watt could face a challenge to keep the squad together.

Rival clubs will be in a position to offer more money and while that’s nothing new, who knows what the future holds?

“It’s been an incredible season and they’ll become better people and better players for this,” said Watt, whose side won 14 of their last 19 games to break into the play-offs, beating Ramsgate on penalties in the semi-finals.

“They know what it takes to get to this stage now.

“A lot of them didn’t know what the play-offs felt like, what it took to get to the play-offs.

“Now they’ve been here, only they know as individuals if the game got to them a bit, and if it did, they won’t let it happen again.

“If we were going again next year, I wouldn’t change a thing.

“I said to them at half-time, there’s not a single player or team in this league or the league above I’d change them for.

“I’d have them all back here again but that doesn’t happen but when you have success with teams like that - phones ring.

“You create an environment you don’t think people will want to leave.

“I don’t think people want to leave but football’s a funny game.

“There’s a lot of pound notes being spent.

“That’s football, it’s the unknown. When you come to the end of the season, it’s very much an unknown.

“I don’t even know what’s happening with me personally.

“I’ve not spoken to the club yet regarding next year.

“That’s a conversation I’ve still got to have, but we need to let the dust settle.”