CHRIS LAKEY King's Lynn boss Keith Webb says there is no need to press the panic button, after seeing former Linnets boss Tommy Taylor strike his team building plans with a double blow.

CHRIS LAKEY

King's Lynn boss Keith Webb says there is no need to press the panic button, after seeing former Linnets boss Tommy Taylor strike his team building plans with a double blow.

Lynn right back Dean West is to join up with Taylor at Boston, where he took charge on Friday - despite promising that he wouldn't be making any raids on Webb's playing staff.

And Taylor is also responsible for ending Webb's hopes of taking Boston skipper Paul Ellender to Lynn, who had a U-turn at the weekend after talks with his new manager.

Ellender has been training with the Linnets, who were hoping to unveil him before tomorrow's prestige home friendly against Norwich City.

"It's disappointing, but his heart was clearly still at Boston," said Webb last night. "Obviously they have made him an offer he feels he cannot refuse. He feels Tommy Taylor is the man to take the club forward - so what will be, will be."

West was not under contract at The Walks, but Webb admitted he would be a big loss.

"Dean is a good, experienced player, vastly experienced," he said. "He wanted to go on and step up to the coaching side and I would imagine he has been told that he can do that."

Webb also has to deal with the loss of goalkeeper Paul Crichton, who is to join League One side Brighton's coaching staff - although he has already secured the services of Scott Howie for the new season.

"We are still working hard on bringing players in," said Webb. "We have three weeks or so to play with so it is not like it is a panic situation.

"But what I am finding in non-league football is that things don't tend to get settled and sorted out very quickly - in a lot of instances it's a case of suck it and see."

Ellender's future at Boston was inextricably linked to the club's financial situation, but he committed to a new deal after Chestnut Homes came in with a rescue package.

"I had a meeting with the new manager Tommy Taylor on Friday and I have been able to think things over during the weekend and discuss it with the family," said Ellender. "I can tell you it looks like I will be signing a new deal on Tuesday.

"I never really wanted to leave the club, but with so many things in the air, I just had to see what was going to happen and which direction the club were going."

Ellender said he was tempted by the Linnets' contract offer, which would have allowed him to pursue a career outside of football, but said United have since matched that offer.

"It's true, I have been training with King's Lynn, but while I didn't know what was going on at Boston I had to look at things elsewhere," he added. "It was a tempting offer and financially it would have been ideal for me, but now everything is becoming clearer at Boston I am happy to stay."

Ellender was expected to be unveiled before tomorrow's visit of Webb's former club Norwich City.

Webb's preparations have been further hampered by Howie's unavailability for the Canaries' visit, while defender Greg Crane is unlikely to be risked because of an ankle injury.

Webb will be reunited with plenty of familiar faces at the club he left in the winter, but says there will be no room for sentiment.

"My main concern and all my energies will be concentrating on King's Lynn," he said. "I just want the event to go ahead after the problems we have had with the water damage in the main stand.

"I'm looking forward to it - it's the first time I've faced a Norwich City team and the first time we've had Norwich here for a while in a competitive game. If everything runs smoothly it may be something of an on-going thing in the future. Both sides can hopefully get a lot out of it."