Mark Cooper insists Forest Green will not be able to buy the title.

The new Rovers’ boss officially started work on Monday after agreeing a five-year deal.

He will be given a war chest by owner Dale Vince with the remit to go one better and win the National League, but the former Swindon Town boss, who watched from the Wembley dugout as Rovers were beaten 3-1 by Grimsby Town in the National League Promotion Final, said: “I think there is a bit of a common misconception about Forest Green from the outside world of football - about how much wages are paid to players - and this is totally false at times.

"Yes, we will be competitive in terms of budget, but by no means will we be able to buy the title. Only one place guarantees promotion and then you have the lottery of the play-offs.”

Cooper believes a little more consistency will help Rovers in their title assault after finishing runners-up to champions Cheltenham Town.

“Forest Green had a brilliant start last year,” he added. “Ady Pennock did some really good work and put a really good squad together, but we just have to be a little bit more consistent in the middle and the end of the season, and make sure we can have a shot at finishing top.”

The Rovers boss is now drawing up a list of summer targets after releasing seven players in an end of season cull.

Cooper said goodbye to club captain David Pipe, James Jennings, Clovis Kamdjo, Delano Sam-Yorke, Brett Williams, Dale Eve and Lenny Pidgeley, but he is keen to keep hold of captain Aarran Racine, Darren Carter and Dale Bennett.

Cooper is also in talks with goalkeeper Steve Arnold and midfielders Sam Wedgbury and Marcus Kelly.

And the club exercised the option of an extra year on the contracts of Elliott Frear, Charlie Clough, Kurtis Guthrie and Rob Sinclair.

Some members of the current squad - Keanu Marsh-Brown, Jonny Maxted, Jon Parkin, Louis McGrory, Kieffer Moore, Anthony Jeffrey and Ben Jefford - are on deals for next season.

Cooper added: “Saying goodbye to people who have been good servants to the football club is not nice, but you have to be straight and honest with them and they respect that, but we need to move forward and get some new blood and fresh faces.

“We have a lot of work to do in the summer and we have the nucleus of a really good squad, but we need to make sure we add the correct kind of player and, more importantly, character to that.

“A lot of good players will be out of work this summer, but we need to get the right ones and not rush in and sign the first three or four who become available and make sure we get value for money.

Cooper is in talks with a number of backroom staff and is expected to add an assistant manager, goalkeeping coach and fitness coach.