The Non-League Football Paper

WADDOCK’S IN THE ZONE

- By Jon Couch

GARY WADDOCK has never been one for studying the league table mid-season – and he’s not about to start now!

Even on leading Aldershot Town to the Blue Square Premier title in 2007-08, the 55-year-old insisted he never once paid attention to stats or the formbook until the final ball was kicked.

Now, with the Shots back in the the play-off places in his second spell in charge at the club, the Wadfather – as he is affectiona­tely known by his adoring fans – is hellbent on sticking to the same philosophy.

“[The league table] only counts at the end of the season,” said Waddock after Tuesday night’s impressive 3-1 victory over fellow promotion hopefuls Dagenham & Redbridge.

“When that final whistle goes on the final day, that’s when you know where you finish. There are a lot of clubs with the same aspiration­s and a lot of clubs with games in hand – you’re never going to know anything for sure until the very end.

“The mindset has changed since the start of the season in that we have to travel up to Macclesfie­ld on Saturday, looking to win that game, and then Solihull Moors after that. That’s all we are looking to do.

“We have a confident, close-knit group of players, who get on very well with one another and have over-achieved, for sure. We just plan game-to-game, talk about the opposition coming up and carry on enjoying what we are doing.

“We are very proud of what the players are doing, we’ve just got to maintain that now.”

Waddock added extra defensive cover to his squad on Thursday with the signing of Scottish Under 21 internatio­nal Dominic Hyam from Reading.

Aldershot Town midfielder Liam Bellamy has been charged with robbery following an incident in Greenhithe, Kent, in November 2015.

The 25-year-old former Dover and Ebbsfleet midfielder – sidelined for the rest of the season with a knee ligament injury – has been bailed to appear before Medway Magistrate­s Court on April 11 along with two other men in their 50s.

A club spokesman said: “Aldershot Town FC has been made aware of the charge against Liam Bellamy but, as subject to an ongoing investigat­ion, we can not comment on it and will not say anything further at this juncture.”

 ??  ?? PHILOSOPHY: Gary Waddock
PHILOSOPHY: Gary Waddock

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from United Kingdom