MANAGER: Patient and meticulous

“We’re still trying to add to the squad,” he confirmed. “I get the feeling that people are saying I’m not spending money because I’m not allowed to. 

“I can clarify that I do have money to spend. The football club is waiting for me to identify the players I want to bring in and then they’re ready to push buttons to make sure the deals can happen. 

“My part in it is that I only bring in the type of player I think is going to improve us. I can fill six or seven changing rooms with players who can hold us in a mid-table position. I don’t want that. I’m patient and I’m meticulous in finding the quality I want to bring in.” 

“I know we need more in certain areas but I don’t want to be a manager who throws money at things,” he explained. “I want to be astute and I want to spend money wisely. We know where we are and we know where we want to be.

“Let me tell you, we’re not scared of success. We know what we need to do and if we add the right type of quality to what we already have we will be a very successful team.”

“The pleasing thing is we have players who have been missing through injury well on the way back to recovery,” he commented. “Danny Grainger is running again and that’s a big lift for him and us.

“He’s been involved in something like 21 or 22 goals and he’s a big part of our group. He’s a goal threat and his leadership character and qualities around the other players are important. He hasn’t trained with a football yet but he’s getting there.

“Tom Miller is working hard at his recovery and he’s a player who is improving and developing. He gives us more options when he’s available but he’s probably just a little bit behind Danny in terms of where he is with his rehab right now.”

Speaking about the 300 career appearance milestone reached by Mark Ellis, he said: “Mark has brought a level of consistency, reliability and dependability. 

“He enjoys being a defender and he’s striking a partnership up with Michael Raynes which will only get better. He’s got room for improvement, but he knows that himself, and he’s another who faces challenges head on. 

“We saw the value with the performance just behind them on Saturday from Mark Gillespie that there’s real value in having a good goalkeeper and a good goalkeeping coach. 

“Simon Tracey isn’t a trainer, he’s here to coach. He’s working to improve Mark and Dan [Hanford] and there’s a level of consistency coming to everything they’re doing now. 

“With Mark, he’s saving the things we’re expecting him to save, but he’s also now getting to those things other keepers probably struggle with. That’s because, without getting too technical, he’s moving his feet better and he’s going with the right hand at the right time. That’s earning him his rewards.”