Millington says "process has begun" of trying to retain some of Town's out-of-contract players

Several Halifax players are set to become free agents at the end of the season, with Millington previously stating he was keen to avoid another mass exodus from the club as happened last summer, when key players like Niall Maher, Kieran Green, Billy Waters, Tyrell Warren and Tom Bradbury all left.

"We're at that stage of the season now where we've got to make sure that we're in the fight to retain some of the out-of-contract players who we know are getting interest," Millington said. "So that process has begun.

"There's clearly some players who've performed strongly this season who will be starting to attract interest when people realise they're out-of-contract at the end of the season, and they're the priority initially.

"There's a lot of players we'll look to re-engage but clearly there's some we might need to move a little bit sooner on than others."

The Town boss said he would like to keep hold of around 75 per cent of his current squad.

"We've had one or two very positive loans this season so I think it's fair to say that the loan players who've come in have had an impact and contributed in more ways than one, on the field and also around the training ground and in sessions," Millington said.

"So there are players like that who we've got to add into consideration because we'd like to retain their services more permanently.

"If we can aim to retain three quarters of the squad for the start of next season then we will begin pre-season in a very healthy position.

"We also know that if we retain that number of players that we've got an excellent platform to add onto, and there's a real clarity now about what the group needs to move forward.

"Something I maybe didn't realise quite as acutely at the beginning of last season was exactly what we were going to retain in terms of the skill set of the players available.

"That's the leadership qualities, the tactical qualities and to some degree the technical qualities, because it was such a shifting situation at the time.

"What we've got now is a much more stable situation so we're very clear on what we should have still in the group, which makes it much easier to start targeting new recruits as well that will fit it and complement what's already here."