Baird snubs Bournemouth's loan offer for Marshall
Eastleigh turn down Cherries' plan for Marshall
- By Wendy Gee
EASTLEIGH have turned down AFC Bournemouth's request to loan winger Mark Marshall with a view to making him a permanent Cherries signing.
The 21-year-old spent two days with the Dean Court outfit last week before featuring for Eastleigh in Saturday's 1-0 Blue Square South victory at Thurrock.
But though the Cherries are keen to see more of the pacy wideman, the troubled League Two club are not in a financial position to buy him right now.
And Eastleigh boss Ian Baird believes a loan would not be in his club's or Marshall's best interests.
"Kevin Bond, the Bournemouth manager, rang me on Friday to say he likes Marshy and that he would like to take him until the end of the transfer window and then make us an offer for him - i.e. to take him on loan," said Baird.
"But Marshy wouldn't be starting for them and would spend most of his time on the bench.
"As we're only 20 minutes up the road from them, they may as well come and watch him here."
Marshall had already spent three weeks on trial with League One outfit Swindon Town.
And, although there were encouraging noises from The County Ground, no offer transpired for the speedy wideman who is contracted to Eastleigh until the end of this season.
Fitzroy Simpson, a former Swindon and Eastleigh player, was instrumental in trying to fix Marshall up with the Robins, but Baird has had enough of the player being pulled from pillar to post.
"Mark's not going on trial anywhere else now," said ex-Saints striker Baird. "He's got four or five people offering him advice, but he wants to start listening to people like me who have got his best interests at heart.
"I've had more clubs than Jack Nicklaus and I know how impressionable young kids are - and Marshy's very impressionable.
"The proof of the pudding is that he's been on trial with two League clubs and neither have said we'll pay money for you."
- By Wendy GeeEASTLEIGH have turned down AFC Bournemouth's request to loan winger Mark Marshall with a view to making him a permanent Cherries signing.
The 21-year-old spent two days with the Dean Court outfit last week before featuring for Eastleigh in Saturday's 1-0 Blue Square South victory at Thurrock.
But though the Cherries are keen to see more of the pacy wideman, the troubled League Two club are not in a financial position to buy him right now.
And Eastleigh boss Ian Baird believes a loan would not be in his club's or Marshall's best interests.
"Kevin Bond, the Bournemouth manager, rang me on Friday to say he likes Marshy and that he would like to take him until the end of the transfer window and then make us an offer for him - i.e. to take him on loan," said Baird.
"But Marshy wouldn't be starting for them and would spend most of his time on the bench.
"As we're only 20 minutes up the road from them, they may as well come and watch him here."
Marshall had already spent three weeks on trial with League One outfit Swindon Town.
And, although there were encouraging noises from The County Ground, no offer transpired for the speedy wideman who is contracted to Eastleigh until the end of this season.
Fitzroy Simpson, a former Swindon and Eastleigh player, was instrumental in trying to fix Marshall up with the Robins, but Baird has had enough of the player being pulled from pillar to post.
"Mark's not going on trial anywhere else now," said ex-Saints striker Baird. "He's got four or five people offering him advice, but he wants to start listening to people like me who have got his best interests at heart.
"I've had more clubs than Jack Nicklaus and I know how impressionable young kids are - and Marshy's very impressionable.
"The proof of the pudding is that he's been on trial with two League clubs and neither have said we'll pay money for you."
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