Trying time for Blues hopefuls

No new signings are expected before the club starts pre-season training next Tuesday, with Housham set to invite a number of players to try and impress him.

“We’ve had all sorts of players ringing up and enquiring about coming to train with us,” said Housham.

“I’ve also spoken to a number of guys that I want to take a look at over the coming weeks.”

“It goes without saying that I’m not going to be putting deals on the table for players that I haven’t seen, so they’ll come down and give them an opportunity to earn a place.”

“Any player that I sign has to be right for Gainsborough Trinity.”

Talking on the club’s transfer policy, Housham admitted that the amount of players that are unattached by the start of pre-season create a tough market for a manager to work with.

“It becomes a bit of a mad scramble.”

“When it gets to this point, players are desperate to impress and hopefully we can to use this to our advantage and benefit from that.”

One player who will not be joining the club for next season is left-back Josh Wilde, who informed the club of his decision to leave in a conversation with Housham last weekend.

Wilde – who joined the club last summer from Northern Premier League side Buxton – is now free to join another club having rejected the terms offered to him by the Blues.

“We offered Josh re-engagement terms in the same way we did with Luke Waterfall and Terry Hawkridge,” said Housham.

“He didn’t get back to us within the 28 days that are required, meaning we then offered him reduced terms in line with the club’s wage budget.”

“It’s a shame because we gave him the chance to step up a level by joining the club, and I feel that he developed well in his time here.”

“He would probably have benefitted from another year at the club, but we wish him the best of luck in finding a club for this season.”

“I don’t know if it was fully his decision or that of his agent, or a bit of both, but that’s modern football unfortunately.”