SELBY Town boss Jimmy Reid has swooped to sign former York City defender Mike Atkinson – and is trying to bring a host of other players to Flaxley Road.
The Robins manager has put in seven days notice for former Tadcaster Albion ’keeper Leon Wrigglesworth and has also made approaches for Pickering’s Dan O’Connor and Winterton’s Liam Wright.
Trying to overcome a host of injuries, including to Tom Owen and Mark Willoughby, Reid is short of numbers ahead of this weekend’s trip to Grimsby Borough in Northern Counties East League division one.
With Nathan Kamara still on the comeback trail, he said he would be doing whatever he could to “get through this week” and try to pick up another three points.
Reid grabbed his first win in charge of Selby with a 5-1 drubbing of Appleby Frodingham last time out and 16th placed Grimsby will not be under-estimated by him.
“We are trying to get through,” he said.
“We will get into next week and get a couple of boys signing on. I’ve got a couple of ex-Pickering lads, who are playing local leagues, who will be coming and, hopefully, we can get on a bit of a roll.
“Last week was a lot better than the week before and all I can do is ask them for a bit of progression.
“We are down to the bones and, if we can get through this week, we will have a bigger and better squad.”
Reid has allowed goalkeeper son Arran to return to Tadcaster Albion, whose boss Paul Marshall has also been dipping into the market.
Missing Vincent Dhesi, George Bissett and Will Pepper for the visit of Winterton Rangers in the premier division, he has brought back ex-Middlesbrough and Doncaster player Jake McCormack and signed prolific Tadcaster Magnets and Britannia striker Adam Field.
Marshall believes his men must win ten of their 14 remaining league games to have a chance of winning the title and that starts against struggling Winterton, who have picked up only 13 points this season and are in 21st place.
Tadcaster released former goalkeeper Wrigglesworth this week and Marshall said: “It’s a shame. He did really well for us and I don’t think he was too happy with Arran coming in.
“I had to make a decision, when he was out for six weeks, and I wanted a little bit of experience. Arran wanted to come back and I understand that Pickering, as well as Jimmy, have put seven days in for Leon.”
Wrigglesworth’s final weeks at Tadcaster were soured following a number of spats the goalkeeper had with team-mates on Twitter and Marshall added: “I don’t understand why they start doing all that on there.
“Young lads today are messing around on this and it can get them into trouble.”
On the challenge of Winterton, Marshall said: “We should be able to go and get the three points.
“They are struggling but they lose 3-2 and 2-1 so they can’t be that bad.
“We have got to go and win the game. We can’t slip up against teams from the bottom and we have to be really professional.
“It doesn’t matter what the score is as long as we win a game of football. We’ve got to win ten of 14 to have a chance of winning the title. It is possible.
“There are some tough games but it is the same for every other team.”
Pickering Town, meanwhile, entertain Worksop Parramore in the premier division. They have dropped to 12th after their game at Nostell Miners Welfare was postponed last weekend.
Knaresborough Town await Hemsworth Miners Welfare in division one.
Harrogate Town entertain Bradford Park Avenue at Wetherby Road in Conference North while Harrogate Railway Athletic visit Mossley in Evo-Stik League division one north.
Scarborough Athletic, meanwhile, host Newcastle Town in the division one south.
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