Brook meets with directors for talks

From the archive, first published Friday 10th Feb 2006.

Avenue take a breather from UniBond Premier Division action tomorrow when they travel to Burscough for the quarter-finals of the President's Cup.

But the pressure is still on - to win a game!

The 4-3 defeat to Burscough at Horsfall Stadium last Saturday was the side's seventh straight league defeat - and there was even more bad news midweek when Ashton went above them after a surprise 3-1 win at Guiseley.

Gary Brook's men are now down to 16th in the table.

Chairman Dr John Dean and other directors have met with Brook to discuss the run of poor results.

Dr Dean said: "We had a meeting to talk through these results and about what the manager was going to do about them.

"It was a helpful discussion. We are all in this together and it is vital we start winning again. We need five or six wins to be sure of staying up and that is a big ask.

"We have been focusing on the spine of the team. I believe Neil Thompson, the young goalkeeper from Carlisle is coming back to us and Gary is trying to sign a centre half."

The cup game tomorrow gives Brook a chance to give his newcomers to the side another chance to bed in. Right back Paul Haworth, signed from Barrow, and teenage midfilder Jimmy Beadle, who is on loan from Scarborough, both had impressive debuts last Saturday.

But the side let a 3-1 lead slip and that must be a big worry for the management team.

Brook said: "I am looking to sign a centre half but I also need to get somebody in up front who is big and strong and who can keep the ball.

"I have been trying to get hold of people but I have just not been able to sign them.

"The President's Cup tomorrow is a bit of a respite for us. I have told the players there is no pressure on this one - no league points. After last week's game all the players were dejected. But we still have enough games to get out of trouble."

Avenue (from): Thompson, Parry, O'Brien, Smith, Jones, Bernard, Greaves, Flynn, Newton, Oleksewycz, Walsh, Beadle, Ryan, Rowe, Haworth.

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