Halstead Town manager Mark Benterman has said it is natural for him to be looking to sign a long-term deal with the club.
 

Benterman has been holding talks with chairman Jim Holder about his future and feels it is necessary to continue the development of the team.
 

They are heading into the busy Christmas schedule sitting second in Thurlow Nunn League division one following last weekend’s 2-1 win against Debenham LC and ahead of today’s trip to Haverhill Borough.
 

It has been a great first-half of the season and Benterman is excited about progressing further in coming years.
 

He said: “We have always talked about planning for the future and we are realising what we can achieve.
 

“Bar one or two, all our boys are aged about 22 or 23 and that looks good for the future so we need to put proper plans in place.
 

“Andy Joslin left this week to go to a Ryman League division one north club, but I think we have the potential to be in that league in a couple of years, so we’ve got to put things in place to achieve that.
 

“I think we are one or two years ahead of where we thought we’d be in our development.
 

“I’ve got no intention of leaving so it’s natural that I discuss a long-term deal with the club."

Benterman said he hoped James Regan and Nick Miller would be fit to return from back and foot injuries respectively for today’s game, while Gareth Thomas was about a week away from returning from an ankle ligament problem.

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