club reputation and signing players

[Jegpeg]

I am managing a club with regional reputation (Berwick Rangers) and am finding it impossible to sign players. Players from another part of the country will not want to speak to me (and there isn't another league club in my part of the country). In one example a player joined a non league (unplayable) club for 1/3 of the wages I would be willing to offer (though this was local to the club he was leaving).

Is this due to the clubs regional reputation? i.e. Players from outside my region will be unwilling to sign for me?

After promotion I am in a league where all the other clubs but one have national reputation, am I likely to have my reputation increased soon? Is it a step change or is it a hidden number which is gradually moving me towards national?

Or is it due to something else. For example I am semi-pro so does this mean I will find it impossible to sign players.

Well at least the board are very pleased with my extremely tight control of expenditure