GARY Bowyer has warned it could take him up to three transfer windows to mould City exactly how he wants.

As City prepare for a return to League Two in August, Bowyer intends to create a squad strong enough to stand up to the physical demands they can expect to face.

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But he admits that it will take time to forge the group that he wants.

Bowyer said: “We’ve got to work hard to get the right characters in.

“It’s the same with any team that’s been relegated. Just because you’ve gone down into another league doesn’t guarantee automatic promotion the following year.

“We’ve seen that many a time. It’s a tough job and we’ve got to make sure we recruit the right types.

“I’ve said all along, it takes you a couple of windows until you can say ‘this is definitely my squad’.

“It might be two, even three windows and it’s no different here.”

The former Blackpool boss has already been busy in the transfer market this summer, with seven new additions already arriving at Valley Parade.

This included two new faces last Friday with Bradford-born striker Clayton Donaldson and defender Adam Henley joining.

Former Birmingham City forward Donaldson joins on July 1 following a spell with Bolton Wanderers.

The duo join fellow new boys Jackson Longridge, Ben Richards-Everton, Sam Hornby, Zeli Ismael and Tyler French.

Bowyer must also convince other potential recruits to want to play in League Two when they might have other offers from teams in a higher division.

He believes a move to City, even in the lowest tier, still offers the chance to advance their career.

“It’s important that I meet players and get a feel that they are still ambitious,” he added.

“Whether that is to get success on the pitch for us or move up the leagues with their own individual performances, I don’t have a problem with that.

“I’d rather have players that are hungry and want to better themselves.

“Ideally you want to go up the leagues with the squad but realistically, everybody is a selling club. That’s the same in any walk of life.

“You might have to convince players to leave League One to come and play in League Two.

“That’s the initial challenge but the fanbase we’ve got is a massive sell for us.”