STEVIE Lyle has admitted that his summer recruitment drive has been tougher than he anticipated after announcing his 11th signing of the summer.

When the season ended, Lyle had high hopes of attracting players to Swindon with his extensive list of contacts built up over his 20-year career.

But with one of the smaller budgets in the league and being a new coach he has conceded that the task has not been so straightforward.

Corey McEwen joins Neil Liddiard as the second new face to be added to the Wildcats roster for the new campaign and with at least eight more signings still to be announced head coach Lyle is promising more fresh faces at the Link Centre.

“There have been a lot of other teams that have taken players just because of the financial reasons,” he told the Adver, admitting that a few unnamed players may have followed former Okanagan Hockey Academy boss Pete Russell with him to his new side MK Lightning.

“It is tough because it is my first year and a lot of the guys only know my reputation from playing, they don’t know my reputation as a coach.

“I will be quite open, there are a couple of players that have left who have followed a GB coach.

“He has coached them at under 18s and 20s so they know him as a coach where as they don’t know me as a coach.

“I am sure if I am still in a job next year then again it will be a bit easier.

“I have enjoyed it but I think it would have helped if I had played in the league a bit longer because I don’t know many of the guys.

“If I had been an Elite League coach then it would have been a lot easier because I know all of those guys.”

Despite the difficult times in the close season Lyle is confident that he is building a side that will be an improvement on the one that finished fifth in the English Premier League last season and also made it to the semi-finals of the Challenge Cup.

Lyle has confirmed that he has only got to tie down one more player, with the other signings expected to be announced over the coming weeks.

“We’re a good solid team and I am really excited,” he added.

“I have one more signing to go and then the team is complete.

“I think we have eight more (to announce) and there will be a lot of new faces amongst them.

“I think I have done well with my budget and I am excited with the team because we are going to be stronger and bigger.”