“Everybody seems to think that we’re a selling club and have to sell club, but we are not.”
Manager Keith Hill says the number of players who have so far signed new or extended deals at the club is “absolutely tremendous.”
Several players including Matty Done, Ian Henderson, Josh Lillis and Peter Vincenti have all put pen to paper in recent weeks, committing themselves to the club until the summer of 2016.
The current squad of players have already been together for 12 months plus, and Hill admits he is keen to keep that continuity.
“Football, unlike so many other industries, is short term with respect to contracts. But with the work that I did with this squad of players, not just last season, but part of the season before, I want to try and retain continuity. I want to try and get as many players as I possibly can tied to more than just a year left remaining on their current contract," Hill told Dale Player.
“The players who have signed the extensions and the new deals is absolutely tremendous, but I have offered contracts to other players and it’ll be up to them whether or not they actually sign deals or not.”
He continued: “But one thing I do intend on doing is utilising the squad I have at this moment in time, for most of this season.
“I have had assurances from the Chief Executive, the Board of Directors and the Chairman that no player will be sold unless I deem it relevant and right. There’s nobody at this football club who has a for sale sign around their neck and there’s nobody being touted from within the walls of this football club. We’re trying to nurture, develop and retain these players because I want that continuity.
“I don’t see any reason why this squad of players can’t be successful and fulfil our ambition over the next two, three, four seasons, so the club are doing everything they possibly can to retain these players, and if we have to, we’ll build on what we’ve already got.
"We’re certainly not in a situation where we want or need to sell Scotty Hogan, or any other player that we’ve got at this football club. Everybody seems to think that we’re a selling club and have to sell club, but we are not. And anyone who thinks we are, are ill informed.
“I can go with this whole squad for the duration of the season on the advice of the Chairman and the Board of Directors and the Chief Exec. We have received a substantial amount of money from the sale of Alfie Le Fondre and Rickie Lambert.”
The full interview is available to watch on Dale Player.