Lewes boss Steve Ibbitson is happy to keep producing good youngsters even if bigger clubs cherry pick them.

Ibbitson has already lost teenage defender Grant Hall to Albion this season while goalkeeper Rikki Banks continues to interest Wycombe Wanderers.

There have been plenty of scouts watching England Schools winger David Wheeler while others like Tim Rivers and Ross Sutton are maturing into fine players despite both still being 17.

Banks spent three days training with Wycombe last week and a deal remains a possibility, although Chairboys boss Gary Waddock wants to see him in action for Lewes at home to Eastleigh next Saturday.

Ibbitson, whose background is in youth coaching, does not want to lose any of his players but, unlike Hall, Banks and Wheeler are on contract so he knows the club would benefit from any sale.

He said: “Due to our problems we have had to put young players into the side. Because of the budget and where we have come from (youth coaching) we have not got a problem with that as long as they are up for it.

“Ross (Sutton) is a regular. He is only just 17 but he is playing every week in Blue Square south. That is the faith we have in them.

“It was great kudos for the club when Grant went to Brighton but I was sorry to lose him because I felt he could be Lewes’s centre back for a long time.

“We are trying to develop these lads, partly for the club and partly for themselves, and it helps us because other players see what Grant has achieved with us and think they can do the same.

“They are not all going to go back into pro football and a lot of them can be good players for us.”

Banks will play for Lewes again in tomorrow’s FA Trophy first round tie at Hampton and Richmond as he waits to hear whether Wycombe want to sign him.

Waddock has also been looking at Eastleigh goalkeeper Steven Arnold and is keen to see them both in action at the Dripping Pan next Saturday.

He also has to consider his goalkeeper options in general with two other stoppers, Scott Shearer and Jamie Young, currently at the club.

Ibbitson has made it clear he does not want to lose Banks but has also said he will not stand in the 21-year-old’s way, He said: “Banksie is worth a lot more than just money to the club, in terms of keeping us up. We will do what is right for him and the club.

“I have only been involved with Banksie for six months but I think we can take some credit for his position. People kept telling us he had potential but was not good at this or that.

“We have concentrated on telling him what he is good at rather than telling him what he is not so good at.

“If people keep telling you you are not a good player sooner or later you will believe it. We have worked with him on his confidence.”

Ibbitson is still desperate to add a proven striker to his squad but has so far been unable to due to the restrictions in his budget.

The club’s coffers could be boosted by a victory tomorrow when £5,000 is up for grabs for the winners as well as a place in the second round.

Ibbitson said: “That money is desperately important to the club but from a footballing point of view we must forget that, prepare for the game as best we can and try to win for footballing reasons.”

Albion loan signing Steven Brinkhurst is eligible for the game. Midfielder Jack Walder hopes to play despite a foot problem and Anthony Barness should also be available despite suffering from a bout of flu this week.

Danny Cullip is still missing with a hamstring injury which is worse than the club originally feared.