Harper is currently without a contract for next season at Kettering Town

Kettering boss Lee Harper says the club needs to look to secure new contracts with key players for next season.

Player-manager Harper's own deal is up at the end of the campaign, as well as those of most of his squad.

He told BBC Radio Northampton: "I don't even know if I'll be here next season, no-one's spoken to me yet.

"But my priority is there's lots of good players with contracts expiring. The club needs to look to them to be pushing on this year and next year."

He added: "They need to be rewarded for their efforts.

"I'd like to keep every single one of them but there's a chance we could lose players because of the budget. That's a worry."

All I've been told is that it's unlikely we would be allow in the play-offs due to the ground situation Poppies boss Lee Harper

With Chester's results having been expunged on Monday, the Poppies have risen from sixth to fourth in the Blue Square Premier, a point clear of sixth-placed York, who have a game in hand.

But the club may not be allowed to compete in the play-offs anyway as they only have a three-year lease left on their Rockingham Road home.

Clubs need a lease of more than 10 years, or their own ground, in order to be eligible for promotion.

But Harper insists his players cannot worry about that issue but must simply concentrate on matters on the pitch.

"It's my first season in management and I want to finish as high in the table as I can," said Harper.

"We just get on and do our job and leave the ground issue to the directors.

"All I've been told is that it's unlikely we would be allowed in the play-offs due to the ground situation, but it's not definite."

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