Thompson bemoans threadbare squad (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Thompson bemoans threadbare squad

9:49am Thursday 24th January 2008 in Football By Nick Mashiter

Devizes Town manager Paul Thompson has bemoaned his threadbare squad ahead of a hectic month which could make or break their season.

The Nursteed Road outfit have ten games in the next 30 days and Thompson will be without Steve Campbell, Josh Digby and the suspended Dan Sloan for Saturday's match at Bishop Sutton.

They then travel to Calne Town on Tuesday for their rearranged Wiltshire Senior Cup quarter-final tie before hosting the Lilywhites in the Toolstation League Premier Division next Saturday.

Games against Welton, Chard, Corsham, Truro, Odd Down, Brislington and Bitton follow but Thompson won't be able to rotate his side.

"We are missing key players and we haven't got the strength in depth in our reserves," he said.

"We have got some good future youngsters but they are not ready quite yet. I don't want to chuck them in straight away.

"The players will have to keep going."

A fixture backlog last season caused the campaign to be extended and Thompson doesn't want to see it happen again.

He said: "We will certainly want to get them done by the end of the season, people have had enough by then, especially if we are playing for nothing."

To combat the lack of numbers the player/boss has signed left winger Martin Statford from Shrivenham.

"All season we have been a little bit light on the left and natural left footers are very hard to come by.

"It is an area we needed to improve," he said.

Statford is in line for his debut at bottom of the table Bishop Sutton but Thompson is warning his side to be vigilant against the strugglers.

He said: "It's going to be a tough one. If they are not motivated Friday night or Saturday morning then they are not going to be at 3pm."