LESS than seven days before the start of the new season, and after a summer of hectic activity, Glossop North End managerial duo Paul Phillips and Steve Halford find themselves still needing new signings.
They face their opening NPL first division north game with an injury list that would be frightening in late January, let alone mid-August.
As Phillips and Halford pondered the line-up for their final friendly, they knew they would have to begin without Lee Rick (arm), Chris Baguley (ankle), Connor Martin (dislocated shoulder), Liam Wood (ankle), Billy Hasler-Cregg (ankle ligaments) and Dom Barrett (knee).
Jay Gorton rang in sick at 1pm, and Grant Marshall was hurt in the warm-up. Incredibly the Hillmen still managed a 1-1 draw with premier division Marine.
Phillips said: “We might have to be active this week to bring people in. If we can manage three I’ll be quite happy. We’re already talking to a full-back and a centre-half, one of them from a higher level.
“We have a difficult first week with games against Goole and Clitheroe, and then the FA Cup which is very important to this club. We’ve been very unlucky, but that’s football. The injuries have thrown a real spanner in the works but Steve and I have got to deal with the situation. We’re not going to make excuses.
“And against Marine, in spite of our problems and the way we had to reshuffle the team, playing midfielders and left-backs in the centre of defence, we gave a very good account of ourselves. We drew with a side from a higher division who are expected to do well this season.
“Harry Brazel, from Stockport County, was outstanding. He reminded me a lot of Jimmy Bullard, but even better.”
Fully aware of Glossop’s achievements over the last few years, and the hopes and demands of both the fans and directors, Phillips is confident his team can do well — providing he can get them all the pitch at the same time.
As has been the case throughout his managerial career, his aim is to win the title. He believes he and Halford have a team good enough to win promotion but the supporters and board must give them time to get things to gel.
“The way it usually works with Steve and me is that things begin slowly and then around the end of October we start to come into our own. So I’m just asking for a little bit of patience. That’ll be the key,” Phillips explained.
“Glossop North End is a massive club as you can see by the huge crowds they get for friendlies, but it’s moved a long way in a very short space of time. There’s great potential here — that’s why Steve and I wanted to come to Surrey Street — but we need to get things right off the field as well as on the field. The two will work together and rub off on each other.
“If we can get our proper team out on the pitch I think we’ve got a reasonable chance. If we can use our full squad, I know we can compete. I’m sure we can do good things.”