Wisbech boss Gary Setchell wants Paul Bastock to bow out with champions’ medal

The 47-year-old's hopes of an FA Vase final appearance evaporated when he was one of two home players sent off in a highly-charged 3-1 home defeat to Bromsgrove Sporting last weekend.

But Setchell doesn't believe the man who set a world club appearance record in a previous round at Thetford is ready to quit.

'Hopefully not, because he has been a great signing for us and I would like to see him bow out with a league championship,' said Setchell, who will be hoping the Fenmen continue the form which has taken them to third in the UCL Premier when they entertain Oadby Town on Saturday.

'He deserves that. I don't think he is the type of guy just to chuck it in because we have lost in the FA Vase and he has been sent off. At 47 years old, I know it sounds ridiculous, but he has probably got to learn from it.'

Bastock saw red after complaining the ball had been kicked out of his hands just before the visitors were awarded a penalty kick. With flares being thrown from behind his goal, Bastock was in the eye of the storm, and picked up two yellows in a matter of minutes.

Setchell added: 'Bazza is passionate about his job and when he gets home he will realise that he perhaps went a little bit over the top, but on the other side, did the ref help him enough with the flares? There is a flare coming on every five minutes and Bazza is chucking flares over the ground. Has the ref protected him on that? I don't think he has.

'When Jono (Jon Fairweather) and Bazza got sent off in that incident that was the chance of our FA Vase going any further.

'Now we have to concentrate on the league.'

Former King's Lynn Town centre-half Sam Gaughran was among the 650 fans crowd, but is unlikely to be on Setchell's radar.

'I think he has still got aspirations of playing a bit higher,' said Setchell. 'If he did become available we would be more than interested, but he still has a few years left at Step Three.'