Matty told to just focus on one spot
Jul 1 2009 by Stuart Rayner, The Journal
MATTY Robson has been told his days as a utility man are over after signing for Carlisle United.
The Durham-born 24-year-old earned a reputation at Hartlepool United as a player equally comfortable at left-back or on the left wing, but new manager Greg Abbott has told him to concentrate on one job.
“I don’t want him to be versatile,” insisted Abbott. “We just want him to go down that left wing and get crosses in to supply the centre-forwards.”
Despite Robson’s natural ability and penchant for spectacular goals, his versatility sometimes counted against him and he was often a peripheral figure at Victoria Park. In seven seasons only 90 of his 169 appearances were league starts. Robson rejected a new contract this summer to sign a two-year deal at Brunton Park. Abbott, then, seems determined to make his third addition of the summer feel loved. “Generally wide players are confidence players,” he explained. “They like arms around them.”
Defender Ian Harte and goalkeeper Adam Collin will be the other new faces when pre-season resumes today. Abbott is hoping for perhaps three more additions before the season starts.
“We’re warm at the moment,” said Abbott of his transfer business. “I won’t be rushing into anything because patience is sometimes a virtue. Colchester are talking to Ben Williams at the minute, but it’s not a straight-forward deal. Something might develop this week. If Ben goes we will need a goalkeeper, a centre-forward and I’m looking at one other position which I’ll keep up my sleeve for now.”
Meanwhile, Darlington have made two signings off the field and are close to another on it as Raj Singh edges closer to buying the club. The former vice-chairman has agreed terms “in principle” with his old boss George Houghton and says his lawyers are “well on the way” to completing a deal.
Manager Colin Todd is pressing ahead with the signing of Gary Smith. The former Middlesbrough trainee has been released by Brentford after having to sit out all but four matches of the Bees’ League Two title-winning season with an ankle injury, but is now fully recovered.
Graham Fordy will be Darlington’s new managing director and Andrew Wilson financial director. Fordy was part of the consortium which saved Middlesbrough from extinction in 1986, the start of more than 20 years’ service, mainly as commercial director. Wilson has more than 40 years’ experience in corporate banking. The Quakers are expected to officially exit administration on July 23.
Hartlepool United manager Chris Turner expects to break his own rule to end his transfer activity today. He initially said he wanted all his new signings in place in time for the start of pre-season training. Scott Flinders, Adam Boyd, Leon McSweeney, Peter Hartley and Neil Austin have joined, but Turner is not done yet.
“We are working on one or two things and we might have something in the next two or three days. There are a couple of others that might be a bit longer.”
Darren Ward, like Turner a former Sunderland goalkeeper, has been linked with the vacant goalkeeping coach job at Victoria Park.
