‘No weak link in County’s squad’
COUNTY boss Jim Gannon says his side are “in good shape” as the Hatters stepped up their pre-season preparations with a 1-0 win over League Two side Salford City at Edgeley Park last week.
Alex Reid’s first goal for the club secured County’s first win of pre-season last Tuesday afternoon as the Express went to print, with the former Stevenage striker pouncing in the 82nd minute to hook Sam Walker’s corner home.
And, after two previous 2-0 defeats in County’s first two pre-season fixtures against League One sides Fleetwood Town and Rochdale respectively, manager Gannon believes his side demonstrated the strength in depth on the books at Edgeley Park after substitute Reid’s strike.
“We finished the game really strongly. There’s depth on the bench, and there’s not a weak player in the squad.
“We looked far better (than the last two games) in terms of our physicality; we had good organisation, looked solid all-round and solid from set pieces – and that’s what I hope my sides will be through the season.”
Fan favourite Walker, who was officially released at the expiration of his contract at Edgeley Park over the summer, claimed the assist for Reid’s clever finish – after the experienced midfielder came on midway through the second half alongside legendary midfield partner Paul Turnbull, who was also let go over the summer.
Both players have since returned to training with the Hatters as the duo step up their search for new clubs, and Gannon explained that the club are looking to help the popular pair in the hunt for “new opportunities”.
“You have to credit Sam Walker for the corner, I always drill into the lads about maximising opportunities from set plays and he’s put an excellent delivery in for the goal.
“In terms of Sam and Paul, we’re doing our best to help them find a new opportunity. They came back training with us and we’re doing what we can to help them secure contracts – and the same with Darren Stephenson, potentially, as he continues his return from injury.”
“Our squad is coming together and as many of our squad start to up their minutes, those guys may not get as many minutes but we’re happy to help where we can.
“They’ve done us a huge favour by coming in and keeping the standards in training and around matchdays excellent, and I just want to really help them with an opportunity at another club.”
The Hatters were deserved victors over The Ammies at a wet and windy Edgeley Park, with the victory holding all the hallmarks of the kind of win the County boss loves – a 1-0 win, keeping a “solid” clean sheet and scoring from a set-piece, which the Irishman works his side hard on at their Carrington training base.
And the former Northwich chief revealed the praise he gave his players in the Edgeley Park dressing room following the entertaining win over Graham Alexander’s Salford.
“I said to the lads that it looked like the team that finished last season (prior to the Covid pandemic). Well-organised, hard to beat, plenty of goalscoring threat and looking dangerous from set pieces.
“I’m really pleased with the seventeen or so lads who we’ve got together. The cohesion is coming along nicely, there’s still work to be done but we’re looking to keep working and keep improving over the next few weeks.”
With Gannon and director of football Simon Wilson keen to finalise the strengthening of the ranks at Edgeley Park prior to the big National League kick-off on the 3rd October, two men who continue to stake their claim for a contract are trialists Josh Barnes and Ethan Coleman.
Barnes has played the second half of each friendly so far between the sticks as the former Derby stopper seeks an Edgeley Park deal to provide number one Ben Hinchliffe with competition, whilst former Reading midfielder Coleman has also played in the second half of each tie.
“Ethan and Josh are both pitching themselves to be part of that twentyman squad with us.
“Simon and I will decide that or decide whether we look elsewhere.
“We would like those extra two players or so to take our ranks to around twenty and really give that strength in depth, especially in that second goalkeeper spot.”
“We’re in good shape, and coming back after the Bank Holiday break, we’re around three-quarters of the way there in terms of the squad and have plenty of time to keep working on implementing the right culture throughout those numbers.
“A lot of behind-thescenes work has gone on since Mark came in, and we’ve come a long way. In some ways, this extended pre-season has helped us as we’ve been able to bed those new players into the group.
“We’re in a good place, it’s a highly competitive culture we’re in at the moment and I just hope it brings the best out of all of us.”
Meanwhile, season tickets renewals have begun at Edgeley Park, with current season ticket holders from last season now able to renew their tickets for the coming season until the 9th September – at which point, any remaining season tickets will go on general sale.
With reduced capacity at Edgeley Park looking likely to be capped at 2,700 due to the pandemic, County have suggested that season ticket holders will be the priority for attendance to home fixtures in the 2020/21 campaign.
The Hatters sold 1,898 season tickets last season, with around 800 expected to be available on general sale once renewals are complete.