Rikki Banks has pledged his future to Lewes and manager Steve Ibbitson expects other senior players to follow suit.

Goalkeeper Banks has agreed to sign on again for the Rooks despite their on-going financial problems.

The news comes as a huge boost to Ibbitson who says he has verbal agreements from eight other players who want to play for the club in Blue Square south next season.

Danny Cullip is the only player still under contract but other senior players including Joe Keehan, Anthony Barness and Chris Breach are expected to follow Banks’ lead.

David Wheeler has also indicated he will be staying but Stefan Cox has left the club and Sam Fisk is trying his luck with Eastbourne Borough.

Former Crystal Palace scholar Banks was the manager’s player-of-the-season last year, his first full season at that level, and Ibbitson is delighted he is staying.

He said: “Banksie took stick from people last year but I thought he was as good a goalkeeper as anybody I saw in the Conference premier.

“He was outstanding after I took over and it is a major boost that he is re-signing.”

Despite the concerns about the lack of players signed on, Ibbitson believes he is close to finalising his squad.

The club are still waiting for news whether they will be allowed to repay tax debts to HM Customs and Excise in staged repayments but Ibbitson is hopeful they will get the news they want He said: “I have nine players who have agreed to sign excluding the under-18 players. I am looking for a squad of about 16 and I am more than halfway there. Of the other six, I believe four of them will sign.

“I am fairly close to finalising my squad so things are moving well.

“Everything is subject to this revenue thing. If we can’t play in Blue Square south that would obviously have a major effect on us and the players but I am quietly confident we will be okay.”

Wheeler, Ryan Timms and Ryan Storrie are expected to re-sign while other youngsters such as Fred Foreman, Jack Walder and Jay Tidey who have been training with a view to signing.

Ibbitson also hopes to complete the signings of Worthing’s Scott Kirkwood and Sam Crabb, who played for Eastbourne United last year but was dual-signed with Eastbourne Borough.

He said: “There have been clubs after David Wheeler but we are delighted he has indicated he will be staying with us. Ryan Timms will be signing and Ryan Storrie.

“We have also had Sam Crabb and Scott Kirkwood. What I still really need now is a big striker.

“I am looking to increase the five or so experienced players we had last year to ten or 11, still keep the good 19-year-olds and also leave openings for players who are still under-18s like Ross Sutton, Grant Hall and Tim Rivers, who already have Blue Square premier experience.”

The Lewes manager has also increased his backroom team by adding two new coaches in the shape of Simon Gough and Dave Winterton.

Gough is a UEFA B coach who is head of sport at St Bede's School and who has also worked with Albion's Centre of Excellence. He will assist Ibbitson and Jason Hopkinson with the first team.

Winterton will work as goalkeeping coach while Bob Bantock has taken on the role of under-18s coach.

Lewes have added another friendly to their pre-season list with a match at home to Dulwich Hamlet on Wednesday July 29. The game has been arranged through former Rooks midfielder Junior Kadi who is now coach at Dulwich.