Farnboroughs Day Left Scrapping Around For Players

[FF News]

As of Tuesday night, Farnborough boss Spencer Day had only ten players available for Saturday's 400-mile round trip to Bideford in the FA Trophy

Bobbie Dale and Harry Williams were recalled by Cheltenham Town this week after sharing 20 league and cup goals for Farnborough

Spencer Day says departed strike duo Bobbie Dale and Harry Williams will be a "tremendous loss" to Farnborough - especially as he's now been hit with a player crisis ahead of this weekend's FA Trophy clash at Bideford.

Dale and Williams proved themselves to be a massive hit with the Boro faithful since their loan arrival from Cheltenham Town in the summer, sharing 20 league and cup goals equally between them this term and another 25 in friendly matches.

But, just 24 hours before Day was preparing for Tuesday night's trip to Harrow Borough , the news Day had feared most was finally realised when the National League Robins cut short the strike pair's five-month stay at Cherrywood Road after a knee injury sustained by Dale proved worse than first thought.

"It's such a shame," Day explained. "Bobbie and Harry used to share the five-hour round trips to play and train but when Bobbie suffered his injury it just got too much for Harry to do alone. So, while Bobbie is getting treatment, Harry will join a club closer to home. They've both been absolutely fantastic and it's a big blow to us. They are fabulous lads with a great attitude and I wish them both every success."

As it happens, Dale and Williams were probably unavailable for Saturday's FA Trophy at Southern Premier side Bideford anyway - leaving Day with a huge personnel problem for the near 400-mile round trip.

Army pair Keith Emmerson and Tom Broadbent are unavailable, Perry Ryan has returned to Gosport Borough after his loan expired, while Chinua Cole is suspended.

It's left Day frantically scrapping around for reinforcements - although he has sealed his first success, bringing in Lewes left-back Ronayne Marsh-Brown following a recent seven-day approach.

Talks regarding personal terms are still ongoing with Harry Grant and at least two National League National League South strikers, although it's more likely that the latter will be drafted in for next Tuesday's trip to Hendon.

"We've got a real struggle on Saturday, personnel-wise, which is something we are going to have to address," Day admitted. "At the moment, I think I have 10 available players for Saturday so we've told them they absolutely have to be in at training on Thursday.

"We don't have any excuses because it's five hours each way and I don't want to travel five hours each way just to get beat again.

"We've got a put a team out but, don't get me wrong, a lot of them will be back for Hendon on Tuesday, it just so happens that we have a problem on Saturday and, Sod's law, it's the FA Trophy."

Meanwhile, judgement on Farnborough's FA appeal hearing has been put on hold until early next week.

The club were embroiled in four-hour discussions with FA chiefs at Wembley on Monday with view to overturning the Ryman League's decision to make them pay off their creditors in full at the end of the season or face relegation.

A points deduction is one option being considered.

Source