Graham Stack is in an unusual position. The player-coach has been playing an active role in recruiting another goalkeeper who will want to steal his number one jersey, though Martin Allen will have the final say.

A member of Arsenal’s ‘Invincibles’ in 2004, the 33-year-old was the Bees’ undisputed number one last season and missed just one fixture due to injury, even playing after gouging his arm on the handle of the dressing room door at Altrincham.

Sam Cowler’s departure over the summer left Allen with a gap to plug, and the Bees boss last week admitted a deputy who was a free agent or available on loan within the London area without requiring hotel or relocation costs was his priority.

It was a restricting remit but in Tuesday night’s 2-1 loss to Peterborough United, former Wycombe Wanderers and Darlington stopper Ashlee Jones played 90 minutes and impressed after Stack withdrew with a tight thigh.

Asked if he had a say in the search for his understudy, Stack said: “Yes, but the gaffer will always have the final say on who we sign.

“But he has left it up to me to bring goalies in and get in touch with them before they have come into training and I have settled them in once they get there.

“I have given the gaffer an opinion on what I have seen in training and how I think the games have gone for certain goalies. I think all the goalies we have had in have done reasonably well to be fair to them.

“It is a case now of trying to nail one down before the season starts. I have my say but at the end of the day the gaffer is the one who makes that decision.”

Former Reading Under-21 Dan Lincoln played the full game on Saturday in the goalless draw at Maidenhead United as Stack was sidelined with a tight calf. Earlier in pre-season Norwegian youth international Chris Haigh featured, too.

Assessing Jones’ display, Stack enthused: “I think Ashlee’s distribution was excellent tonight and he was a good size.

“He is a real good lad who works hard and trains well. I thought he was spot on tonight and he has been here before on trial a year or so ago. I like Ashlee and I think he has done great since he has been here.”

Stack added: “Dan (Lincoln) did ok in fairness but it has just given us an opportunity to look at these goalkeepers in pre-season as well. We will probably make a decision in the next week or two.”

It has been a summer of change at The Hive with Charlie MacDonald, David Stephens and Luisma Villa all departing for pastures new after playing pivotal roles in last season’s title triumph.

And although Stack was disappointed to see members of what was a tight-knit group depart, the experienced gloveman has been in the game long enough to know friends moving on goes with the territory.

He mused: “It is football being football. At the end of every season you get that now; especially with teams that go up. Teams that have gone up look to strengthen and when teams go down they lose their better players – that is just the way football works.

We have lost a few and it is always sad to see lads go when you have been successful, but the gaffer felt it was time for certain players to move on and to bring certain players into the club to move us forward.”