ROVER AND OUT

Waddock on the edge as Shots fight to keep their man

CRISIS-HIT Aldershot Town were facing a desperate battle to keep manager Gary Waddock from the clutches of Bristol Rovers last night after another frustrating day at the office for the National League side.

A spate of injuries and a lack of spending power meant Waddock was only able to name two substitutes for yesterday’s visit of Step 3 Bedford Town in the FA Trophy, where they could only limp to a 3-3 draw. And after the match, Waddock locked his Shots players in the dressing room for over an hour and prevented them from talking to the Press, before he was later seen deep in conversation with club chairman Shahid Azeem.

Waddock is said to have become increasingly frustrated by limited resources at the EBB Stadium with a current injury crisis culminating in an eightmatch winless run and an alarming slump down the National League table.

The 56-year-old former Republic of Ireland international – who led the Shots to the Conference title in 2008 – has ambitions to manage in the Football League again and is one of the early front runners to take over at League One strugglers Bristol Rovers, who this week dispensed with manager Darrell Clarke.

Both Waddock and Azeem denied any approach last night, but with players being told to stand by their phones these next 48 hours, it is believed an announcement could be made before Tuesday night’s replay at The New Eyrie.