Daily Post

Whitley awaits the Pools verdict

By Mark Currie, Daily Post

15 December 2004

Jim WhitleyMIDFIELDER Jim Whitley hopes to make a long overdue return to first team duty in the next couple of weeks and reinforce a weary squad of players who have come through six matches in the space of 20 days.

The former Northern Ireland international has endured a frustrating season to date after spending the best part of the last 10 weeks sidelined by a serious thigh injury, but he was full of optimism as he rejoined his teammates in training this week.

"It was 10 weeks last Saturday that I tore a muscle in my thigh and I've been banging my head against the wall ever since," he said. "But it was a bad tear and I've had to be patient, which has not been easy because so many of us have been going down with long-term problems.

"We've obviously stuggled for a team as a result but we need every one we can get now that we have been docked 10 points and find ourselves in a relegation battle."

Whitley had been pencilled in for a reserve team match against Stockport County this evening but the Edgeley Park club sought a postponement because of last night's FA Cup replay with Swansea and an FA Youth Cup match this evening.

Nevertheless Whitley is set to answer a call to arms if required for Saturday's home game against Hartlepool United.

"In an ideal world I'd like to have a couple of weeks training and one or two games under my belt before going back into the first team," he added. "But with the size of the squad we have at Wrexham and the injury problems, that's not a realistic option.

"I'm experienced enough at this stage of my career to know whether I can get through a game at the weekend and if I feel okay, that's what I'll tell the manager. If I don't feel right, it would not be fair on the other lads to come back and not play a full part in the game.

"I want to get back as soon as I possibly can especially with it coming up to Christmas, which is always a busy time in terms of matches. We need to pick up some points along the way and I'm sure we can do that, especially as we expect to have a few more of the experienced lads coming back in the near future."

Dragons boss Denis Smith meanwhile, welcomed the prospect of a few days respite before Hartlepool's visit, claiming his wafer-thin squad had been pushed to the limit during the recent hectic spell.

"We need to use this week to recharge a few batteries," he said. "It's not just the physical effort of playing so many games in a short spell, it's the mental wear and tear as well.

"It's a strain to perform well all the time and to drive yourself that extra yard and it speaks volumes that the likes of Juan Ugarte and Scott Green, in particular, have come in and done that even though they must be feeling jaded.

"I've given Dennis Lawrence a few days off because he played through the summer for Trinidad. He hasn't missed a day's training and he's hardly missed a league game all season.

"We paid the price on Saturday but I prefer to dwell on the positives, one of which was that young Levi Mackin had a superb game. It bodes well for the future and he should now be coming in for the odd game and then having a rest, unlike Simon Spender, who has done tremendously well considering he's played a dozen or so games in a row."