SQUAD NEWS: Departures as Danny trims squad

Manager Danny Grainger has made some drastic changes to the squad with a handful of players being released in an attempt to find them regular game time elsewhere.

It comes during a topsy-turvy period at the club when the group has been hit by a lengthy injury list, although the manager did say he would be hoping to add 2/3 to the squad before the Guiseley game next week.

It follows the earlier announcement that Argentinian, Gabriel Rios Newton, had left the club with Matty Bell, Lewis Moore, Connor Hammell and Hayden Tait set to follow.

It is likely some of those will link up with Penrith or Cleator Moor Celtic as non-contract players, indeed Hammell did turn out for the latter last week on a dual-registration basis.

The squad will continue to train on Saturday, Tuesday and Thursday ahead of the trip to Guiseley with the Cumberland Cup fixture v. Dearham United fulfilled by the Development Squad.

Meanwhile, the rescheduled fixture list has left the club with a crazy sequence of games – four consecutively on the road in November followed by five home matches in December – and the obvious cash-flow problems that go with it.

And playing the likes of Worksop Town and Macclesfield on mid-week nights in December will certainly affect the attendances, not to mention the corporate packages in the Shankly Lounge.

“It’s going to be a busy, few months and plenty of time on the road, so we need the fans to turn out in numbers on those Tuesday nights in December to help the club in any way possible,” commented the manager.

Without a game for the second successive Saturday, Reds are currently 11th in the NPL Premier Division table having obtained 19 points from 14 games.

• The funeral of former Reds player, Tom Wilkinson, took place on Thursday at St. Nicholas Church, Flimby and was attended by club officials and ex. Workington players. Tom, 68, played for the club during the ’87-88 campaign.