MANAGER Warren Feeney has warned the Newport County AFC fans that the club does not have the money to attract the best players in League Two.

Feeney was responding to a rumour that he was interested in signing Shrewsbury Town striker James Collins – who helped Northampton Town win promotion to League One during a successful loan spell this season.

The former Ireland under-21 international scored eight goals after his loan move in January as the Cobblers romped to the title.

The Exiles boss said he laughed when the rumour was put to him, admitting that his budget will not allow him to compete at the top end of the market this summer.

“Somebody said to me that we were trying to sign Collins from Shrewsbury but they are the A players of the league,” said Feeney.

“We’ll never get them players and we’ve got to realise that.

“I’d love to go and sign players like that but we’ve got to look at around a third of that because the teams with big budgets can afford them.

“And that’s what it comes down to unless you want a hungry player who you can promise to play football.

“I laughed,” he added. “I’m sure everyone in the league would like to sign him.”

Feeney is, however, busy targeting potential new signings following the end of the League Two campaign.

“I know what I need and that’s what I’ll be looking for,” he said.

“I want to get as many as I can [as soon as I can]. I’ve spoken to a couple already and it looks very promising.

“I think we need to get the balance right of men and that little bit of youth where we are.”

Feeney also says he will put his squad through a rigorous fitness regime after the summer break.

“Whoever comes back for pre-season it will be one of the hardest pre-seasons of their lives because that’s the way I was brought up,” he said.

“I want hard work because it’s mental for me. I want to get the right mentality and it gives me a good chance to start right now in the summer.”