WINCHESTER City’s belated promotion from the Wessex to the Southern League has cost them the services of four players.

Stuart Green, Dominic Cope and Charlie Smeeton are unable to do the travelling in Division One South & West as is goalkeeper Ryan Gosney, who has not even donned his new gloves after his early summer switch from Folland Sports.

On the plus side City’s rise in status has attracted the signing of midfielder George Short who was playing for Slough Town last season in the Ryman Premier Division.

City always knew the extra mileage of the South & West would not suit everyone and director of football Dave Malone conceded: “I think the players would all like to have stayed but Smeeton comes from the Isle of Wight and Green and Cope both live in Haslemere.

"You can’t expect a lad on £40 a week to travel from Haslemere to Winchester and then 70 miles the other way. It wasn’t going to work and it (them leaving) is not unexpected.

“They’re good lads and it’s a shame we’ve lost them but, that said, we’ve got some good replacements.

Short was in his second spell with Slough having helped them to promotion from Division One Central in 2013/14 via the play-offs. In between, he returned to his former club Godalming Town.

“George lives in Bishop’s Waltham and used to train with our reserve team manager Grant Orchard,” said Malone.

“So while the extra travelling has cost us players, we’ve also gained George because we’re going up.”

Hinting that there could be more comings and goings ahead, Malone said: “We’re in the process of ascertaining who does and doesn’t want to stay.

“We’re okay numerically but finding a goalkeeper is a bit of a headache. To be fair to Ryan (Gosney) he was the first player to ring me and say he couldn’t do it when our promotion was confirmed.

“It’s disappointing, but it’s fair enough. We were so certain we were going to be in the Wessex that we didn’t talk to him about the Southern League. As soon as we got promoted it changed the parameters for everyone.”

Assistant manager Glenn Burnett has also left the Denplan City Ground, but it’s believed his departure was prompted by his long-time friend and colleague, coach John McFarlane, not being re-engaged for budget reasons.

“It was Glenn’s decision to go and there was no animosity,” said Malone. “Him and John come as a pair and once we got into the Southern League it made his mind up for him, but we’re still on friendly terms.

"There are already one or two in the frame to replace him, but Paul (Masters, manager) is his own man anyway."