Sheppey United beat Littlehampton Town 7-3 to keep their winning run going in Isthmian League South East

Sheppey United’s winning run has got rival teams interested in their players - but player-boss Jack Midson knows it’s not all about the money.

Midson has built a team on the go this season after landing the job days before the campaign began. After a slow start, the Ites have won their last five.

They beat Littlehampton Town 7-3 on Saturday - a result that left them fifth in the Isthmian South East table after the weekend results, occupying the final play-off position.

Midson said: “Sometimes you have to be careful of being a victim of your own success. People have started coming in for our players.

“At this level you can’t have 11 players under contract, it is not viable. You have to do it with a few because you want that continuity and you are trying to build, but some clubs who are lower than us are offering silly money.

“It is no good for anyone, some of the money flying around this league. Teams down the bottom are scrambling to stay up and it happens in every league [at] every level.

“We have a competitive budget at Sheppey, we look after the players in the right way and they have been pretty loyal recently.

“They are not on peanuts [here], they are on good, competitive wages and you would like to think they would stay.

“It is about finding the balance of getting a few more quid somewhere else or actually believing in a project we are doing, not just this year but keeping the majority of the squad together for next year.

“The grass isn’t always greener and they want to enjoy their football.

“If you can progress at this club, where you are enjoying yourself with a nice facility, nice pitch, nice staff, then why would you want to go?”

Midson played himself on Saturday - with top scorer Warren Mfula out injured - and