ACCRINGTON Stanley manager John Coleman has said a number of his players have had their last chance to earn a full-time contract.

This time 12 months ago, Stanley were still recovering from their championship celebrations.

Now, they have a hangover of a very different nature after slipping from the brink of the Nationwide Conference play-offs to 10th place.

For while, at the start of their inaugural Conference campaign a top ten finish would have been welcomed with open arms, manager Coleman knows his side should still be knocking on the door of the play-offs.

"People say you'd have been made up with finishing ninth, or whatever, but I don't subscribe to that," the Reds chief said.

"I subscribe to every time you go out onto the football pitch you should try to win.

"And if you're a better team than the opposition you should win, or you should win more than you don't."

And Coleman cited Easter Monday's 2-1 defeat at Scarborough as a classic example of his side's fortunes this season, after the Seadogs grabbed a late winner despite Stanley creating a host of chances.

"Unfortunately we don't win often enough, and the reason why we don't is because there's not enough confidence in the side," he said.

"There aren't enough winners, and I'll make it my business to change that in the summer."