Baird gets Clark boost
By Wendy Gee - full story in 
Ian Baird is hoping Eastleigh's funds will stretch to another new signing after securing the signature of utility man Steve Clark from Bromley this week.
With Jamie Brown not yet up to playing two games a week after summer hip surgery and Andy Forbes still working his way back to fitness after a hernia operation, Baird wants another striker on board.
"Ideally I'd love to bring in another forward, but it would be under the constraints of how much we can pay and whether the club would let me have £250 (a week) to go out and get someone," he said.
"I've got a couple of people in mind and I've enquired about Manny Williams at Woking.
"But the money he's on there is astronomical and we wouldn't even be able to afford half his wages."
A local player from a lower league club would perhaps make more financial sense, but Baird said: "Would a player from say, Bashley or Totton want to come here if they're not guaranteed a place?
"We've been down that route before and I don't want to go there again.
"I want players who are prepared to come here and fight for a place.
"Taz (winger Adam Roberts) has joined VT FC and that's purely because he wants regular football.
"We had the same experience with Warren McBean last season. He wasn't happy because he'd scored four goals in six games, but he still wasn't starting."
Clark's signing, Baird believes, makes prudent financial sense.
"Bromley were in breach of contract and I was alerted by his agent that he was available. he explained.
"He can play right-back, on the right hand side of a midfield four, up top or in the middle of the park. With the money we've got, he's a good acquisition.
"Neil Davies has gone to Uxbridge and Andy Harris has the last of the three-match suspension to serve tomorrow, so Steve will come straight into the reckoning at home to Hampton & Richmond.
He'll play right back, which is the position he's been playing in all season at Bromley.
"He's 26 with a good pedigree at West Ham, Southend, Weymouth, Fisher, Chelmsford and Bromley. It's good to get someone of that calibre on board.
"Steve lives at Canary Wharf, so he will travel down from London with Anthony Riviere and Peter Adeniyi."
Trevor Challis is available again tomorrow following a one-match ban and Baird has his fingers crossed that Forbes will be okay having retired with a calf strain in Tuesday's 6-0 Hampshire Senior Cup romp over Totton & Eling.
"Forbesy went off at half time, but maybe it was a case of 'I've scored one, we're 6-0 up, so I think I'll have a break," said Baird. "I hope so because we can't afford to lose him."
Victory is vital if the stuttering Spitfires are to climb their way back into the play-off mix.
A run of four league games without a win has dropped them to tenth with 21 points - four adrift of tomorrow's visitors Hampton, who are fifth.
Ian Baird is hoping Eastleigh's funds will stretch to another new signing after securing the signature of utility man Steve Clark from Bromley this week.
With Jamie Brown not yet up to playing two games a week after summer hip surgery and Andy Forbes still working his way back to fitness after a hernia operation, Baird wants another striker on board.
"Ideally I'd love to bring in another forward, but it would be under the constraints of how much we can pay and whether the club would let me have £250 (a week) to go out and get someone," he said.
"I've got a couple of people in mind and I've enquired about Manny Williams at Woking.
"But the money he's on there is astronomical and we wouldn't even be able to afford half his wages."
A local player from a lower league club would perhaps make more financial sense, but Baird said: "Would a player from say, Bashley or Totton want to come here if they're not guaranteed a place?
"We've been down that route before and I don't want to go there again.
"I want players who are prepared to come here and fight for a place.
"Taz (winger Adam Roberts) has joined VT FC and that's purely because he wants regular football.
"We had the same experience with Warren McBean last season. He wasn't happy because he'd scored four goals in six games, but he still wasn't starting."
Clark's signing, Baird believes, makes prudent financial sense.
"Bromley were in breach of contract and I was alerted by his agent that he was available. he explained.
"He can play right-back, on the right hand side of a midfield four, up top or in the middle of the park. With the money we've got, he's a good acquisition.
"Neil Davies has gone to Uxbridge and Andy Harris has the last of the three-match suspension to serve tomorrow, so Steve will come straight into the reckoning at home to Hampton & Richmond.
He'll play right back, which is the position he's been playing in all season at Bromley.
"He's 26 with a good pedigree at West Ham, Southend, Weymouth, Fisher, Chelmsford and Bromley. It's good to get someone of that calibre on board.
"Steve lives at Canary Wharf, so he will travel down from London with Anthony Riviere and Peter Adeniyi."
Trevor Challis is available again tomorrow following a one-match ban and Baird has his fingers crossed that Forbes will be okay having retired with a calf strain in Tuesday's 6-0 Hampshire Senior Cup romp over Totton & Eling.
"Forbesy went off at half time, but maybe it was a case of 'I've scored one, we're 6-0 up, so I think I'll have a break," said Baird. "I hope so because we can't afford to lose him."
Victory is vital if the stuttering Spitfires are to climb their way back into the play-off mix.
A run of four league games without a win has dropped them to tenth with 21 points - four adrift of tomorrow's visitors Hampton, who are fifth.
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