Trophy time for Lynn as new boss considers possible signings

Ins and outs?

New faces could be in at The Walks next week, depending on a few factors, including current injuries - Kyle Callan-McFadden and Arthur Iontton were both due to have an involvement in training yesterday after injuries, although Munashe Sundire is a doubt because of an arm injury.

Munashe Sundire is a doubt because of an arm injury (Image: Ian Burt Photography)

So when will the new manager make his first changes to the make-up of squad?

“I would say first and foremost the chairman has said to me he will back me to bring people into the football club," he said. "I will only spend his pound once, I want to get the best value I can.

“Between now and January, if I was to bring somebody in it would be somebody I know or they know me, know how I work and, b) they would have to be robust enough to play three games in six days, be competitive enough to be starting at this level or coming off the bench. It is no good me taking more young lads from professional football clubs, just because they are from professional football clubs.

“I have got a couple of things in mind, depending on what happens tomorrow. I am having a look at a couple in training so there will be couple of new faces around the place – it doesn’t mean they are going to sign. There will be people I will have a look at – but again, depending on how injuries go after today and the weekend and also how we come through Saturday, there could well be one or two new faces here by next weekend.

“There will certainly be new faces here by January because it won’t all be my decision - one or two players might say I won’t be for them they won’t be for me, but that may be a bit further down the road.”

Arthur Lontton (Image: Ian Burt Photography)

Pride and prejudice...

A criticism that has been levelled at some of the summer recruits is a lack of passion for the Lynn shirt. Widdrington disagrees.

“If the people of King’s Lynn don’t think it matters to these lads, it does. I have only been with them three or four days, but they have shown a want and an energy to learn and to get better and ultimately to get ourselves out of the situation we are in.

“I don’t see anybody, not just playing wise, who I have come into contact with who isn’t rowing in the same direction as I have suggested we should be going.

“If I do find one, they will be out, it doesn’t matter who it is, so from that point of view I haven’t any concerns about that yet.”

Trophy matters

Visitors Nantwich are second from bottom of the Northern Premier League, Lynn second bottom of the National League - and Widdrington is taking this third round game seriously.

"At the end of it is a trip to Wembley. It is a competition this football club can win and it starts on Saturday. We will be as strong as we can be – we won’t be playing a weakened side to save anybody for the next game. The schedule after the game is relentless with three games in six days; it is eye watering. The players won’t be thinking that – they just want to play football.

“At the end of the day it would be wrong for me to say the league is more important - I am still learning about the players, the players are still learning about me and I think the more touch time we can have with the football involved, the better. I need to make judgments very quickly.

"If we don’t turn up and aren’t at it they will come here and win the game. We have to approach this game exactly like we did against Dover and against Halifax. If we do that and do what we do well on the day and if we do the things we are not so good at better than in the two previous games, then I see us progressing.

“But I am never going to show disrespect to any team – they are coming a long way and they don’t; want to go home with nothing.”