Thurrock Preview
Eastleigh stick with Cherries target Mark
- By Wendy Gee
Mark Marshall will line-up for tomorrow's Blue Square South opener at Thurrock - irrespective of whether the flying winger gets the green light from AFC Bournemouth boss Kevin Bond.
Marshall began a two-day trial with the Cherries yesterday and Bond has promised to get back to Spitfires' boss Ian Baird today to confirm whether he is interested in signing the 21-year-old wideman, who is contracted to Eastleigh until the end of the season.
"Marshy will definitely be with us on Saturday," said Baird. "It could be the first and last game he plays for us this season, but I'm not too sure about the financial situation at Bournemouth with them being in administration.
"Kevin Bond is a friend of mine, but that doesn't come into it. Our own financial situation has been well documented and Eastleigh are not prepared to give players away. Bondy is fully aware of the situation."
Swindon Town, who recently had Marshall on a three-week trial, have not yet closed the door on the winger, but their prime target is former Fulham and Wycombe Wanderers midfielder Kevin Betsy, who has been awaiting a pay-off from Bristol City.
Although Eastleigh's combative striker/midfielder Jamie Brown made a long-awaited comeback from hip surgery in last Saturday's 4-0 friendly defeat by Bournemouth, there is no chance of him playing tomorrow - or in the foreseeable future.
"He's only halfway into his rehab and he's still way, way off being match fit," Baird clarified. "The 20 minutes he played last week was all part of his rehab and he did it with the blessing of Kim Chesterfield, our physio.
"He felt okay afterwards apart from a bit of soreness where the scar tissue's built up. It's about breaking that down."
With midfield duo Anthony Riviere and Peter Adeniyi suspended tomorrow and both Andy Forbes (stomach abscess) and David Hughes (hand/knee) still in the wars, Eastleigh have only 12 senior players available to return to the scene of heartbreak.
Needing victory at Thurrock to clinch a play-off spot, the Spitfires crashed 4-1 and had Riviere sent off on a calamitous final day of the season.
"We've got poor memories of the place, but we'll do our very, very best tomorrow to get rid of them," said Baird.
"There have been a lot of changes at the club and everyone knows it's not the Eastleigh of old, but I'm happy with what I've got - I just wish I had a bigger squad.
"The five young lads - Arron Milburn, Aaron Martin, Adam Shepherd, Chris Mason and Joe Maxwell will all be travelling. They might not last all season if I have to put them in, but they'll certainly get games."
Although Baird's old club Havant & Waterlooville - away to St. Albans tomorrow - are hot title favourites, Terry Brown, manager of Blue Square South new boys AFC Wimbledon, believes Eastleigh are in with a strong shout.
Baird said: "I don't see us as title tips purely because of the finances being spent elsewhere. There are six or seven clubs who I know for a fact have got bigger budgets than us.
"We've in the lap of the gods. If we get a smooth sail and avoid injuries and suspensions, we could be there or there abouts.
"Our budget's not bad, but a large proportion of it has been swallowed up by last season's players."
- By Wendy GeeMark Marshall will line-up for tomorrow's Blue Square South opener at Thurrock - irrespective of whether the flying winger gets the green light from AFC Bournemouth boss Kevin Bond.
Marshall began a two-day trial with the Cherries yesterday and Bond has promised to get back to Spitfires' boss Ian Baird today to confirm whether he is interested in signing the 21-year-old wideman, who is contracted to Eastleigh until the end of the season.
"Marshy will definitely be with us on Saturday," said Baird. "It could be the first and last game he plays for us this season, but I'm not too sure about the financial situation at Bournemouth with them being in administration.
"Kevin Bond is a friend of mine, but that doesn't come into it. Our own financial situation has been well documented and Eastleigh are not prepared to give players away. Bondy is fully aware of the situation."
Swindon Town, who recently had Marshall on a three-week trial, have not yet closed the door on the winger, but their prime target is former Fulham and Wycombe Wanderers midfielder Kevin Betsy, who has been awaiting a pay-off from Bristol City.
Although Eastleigh's combative striker/midfielder Jamie Brown made a long-awaited comeback from hip surgery in last Saturday's 4-0 friendly defeat by Bournemouth, there is no chance of him playing tomorrow - or in the foreseeable future.
"He's only halfway into his rehab and he's still way, way off being match fit," Baird clarified. "The 20 minutes he played last week was all part of his rehab and he did it with the blessing of Kim Chesterfield, our physio.
"He felt okay afterwards apart from a bit of soreness where the scar tissue's built up. It's about breaking that down."
With midfield duo Anthony Riviere and Peter Adeniyi suspended tomorrow and both Andy Forbes (stomach abscess) and David Hughes (hand/knee) still in the wars, Eastleigh have only 12 senior players available to return to the scene of heartbreak.
Needing victory at Thurrock to clinch a play-off spot, the Spitfires crashed 4-1 and had Riviere sent off on a calamitous final day of the season.
"We've got poor memories of the place, but we'll do our very, very best tomorrow to get rid of them," said Baird.
"There have been a lot of changes at the club and everyone knows it's not the Eastleigh of old, but I'm happy with what I've got - I just wish I had a bigger squad.
"The five young lads - Arron Milburn, Aaron Martin, Adam Shepherd, Chris Mason and Joe Maxwell will all be travelling. They might not last all season if I have to put them in, but they'll certainly get games."
Although Baird's old club Havant & Waterlooville - away to St. Albans tomorrow - are hot title favourites, Terry Brown, manager of Blue Square South new boys AFC Wimbledon, believes Eastleigh are in with a strong shout.
Baird said: "I don't see us as title tips purely because of the finances being spent elsewhere. There are six or seven clubs who I know for a fact have got bigger budgets than us.
"We've in the lap of the gods. If we get a smooth sail and avoid injuries and suspensions, we could be there or there abouts.
"Our budget's not bad, but a large proportion of it has been swallowed up by last season's players."
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