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Archived News from September 2002

WATKISS EYES DOUBLE LOAN SWOOP
3rd September 2002 13:34


WATKISS EYES DOUBLE LOAN SWOOP
Evening Post, 03 September 2002

Mansfield Town boss Stuart Watkiss will be trying to boost his injury-hit squad with the addition of a full-back and centre forward on loan.

The move comes as a response to the Stags' 5-0 home thumping by Crewe on Saturday.

Watkiss lost the services of Colin Larkin, who will be out for at least four weeks with a pulled hamstring, and Mark Lever, who was substituted in the defeat with a rib injury.

With Wayne Corden struggling with a similar problem, the injury list amounts to ten players, with Scott Sellars suspended for the next two matches.

Currently, Watkiss only has 23 players in his squad and had to call upon youth-team captain Danny Holyoak on Saturday.

He said: "The situation is worse than my worst nightmare as I have virtually got 50% of my professional squad unavailable.

"So I will be looking to bring in a full-back and a centre forward and will hopefully get something sorted out this week."

A full-back is desperately required with Jamie Clarke the only specialist in that position who is fit.

Watkiss hopes Bobby Hassell will be able to play in the reserves at Scunthorpe tomorrow and he believes David Jervis, who picked up a foot injury in the 2-0 defeat against Chesterfield, has an outside chance of playing against QPR on Saturday.

He said: "We knew after five minutes we had to change to four at the back, but we did not have the personnel.

"Jamie could play either left or right back but we didn't have another.

"No disrespect to Stuart Reddington, but he is a lot more comfortable in the middle and isn't a full-back.

"Hopefully, Bobby and David will be back for Saturday but I will be trying to get another in on loan.

"But the players cannot use the injury situation to justify that performance on Saturday."

 

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