HAVERHILL Rovers' players have agreed to play for free until the end of the season in a bid to start their next campaign in the right way.
Manager Peter Betts was set to have to trim his already threadbare squad as Rovers tightened their purse strings further but, after a meeting with the players on Monday night, they agreed to play for nothing so no-one would have to leave.
That mea
ns the club can concentrate on getting financial backing from organisations in the town so the side can hit the ground running next season, whether they stay up or go down.
Betts said: “The players want to make sure that everything is in place so we can hit the ground running next season.”
The Rovers chief is working with the club committee to look at ways of boosting the club’s coffers for the next campaign, with Betts keen to impress upon people that every little helps.
“Obviously with the recession things are hard but the smaller amounts all add up and it makes lots of difference to the running of the club,” said Betts. “Even the supporters coming down more regularly would help because when they do they really back the club really well.”
Although it seems almost certain that no-one will be relegated, Betts is taking nothing for granted and has targeted out-of-form Norwich United as the side to get above.
“It’s difficult (not to concentrate on the possibility of no relegation) but we would still be relying on things that are out of our control,” said Betts. “Even though Lowestoft look like they are going to win the league, there is a chance they still might not.
“The way we are looking at things, the club has an aim because we have to try to overtake Norwich United and finish second bottom because we definitely wouldn’t go down then.”
Captain Marcus Hunt, speaking straight after Saturday’s goalless draw at Wisbech Town, agreed with Betts and said: “That’s what we have got to aim for, not on the chance that three might go (out of the league) and we might stay up if we finish bottom.
“We can’t gamble on that. You have to do what you can to finish off the bottom.”
Rovers will be looking to stretch their unbeaten run to three games when King’s Lynn Reserves visit Hamlet Croft on Saturday for a 3pm kick off, before the Reds travel to Stanway Rovers on Tuesday.
James Walker (hamstring), Dan Marshall (ankle), Neil Cogger (knee) and Jamie Challis (family commitments) are all out of Rovers’ next two matches, as well as long-term injury victims Paul and Marc Abbott.
Neil Hammond should return but tough tackling midfielder Joe Harvey is only rated at 50/50.
But there is good news on the attacking front as pacy winger Richard Heller is to return from university for Tuesday’s match at Stanway Rovers and is likely to be available for the rest of the season.
