ALAN Knill is full of praise for the way Dagenham and Redbridge manager John Still has moulded a successful team by raiding the non-league market — but admits a similar strategy would be hard to follow at Gigg Lane.

Still has negated the loss of several key players in the summer by replacing them almost seamlessly by plundering from the lower levels.

Just down the road from Gigg Lane, local rivals Rochdale snapped up Craig Dawson from Radcliffe Borough for a nominal fee and he is being tipped for a seven figure move to Premiership giants Tottenham Hotspur in the January transfer window.

Knill keeps a close eye on the local non-league scene himself, but admits it is hard to find the finances to get the quality players in.

“John Still has done a really good job,” said Knill. “He knows the non-league scene well and if he loses someone he just brings another quality player in.

“We do keep an eye on things around here but it’s unfortunate that you have to pay for these players.

“It’s difficult for us to find the £10,000-£15,000 needed to get these type of players in.

“There are plenty of players out there but it is about finding the funds.

“The Conference is, for example, too expensive and we can’t shop there. We have to look lower than that.”