Joe's fury at Langley exit

4:24pm Friday 26th September 2008

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MORE Winsford footballers would play for their home town club, if they were good enough.

So says Blues boss Joe Gibiliru after keeper Michael Langley walked out on the club this week to join league rivals Alsager.

“I’d love nothing more than to have a team made up of lads from Winsford,” he said.

“I’ve had a fair few down for a trial but none have yet made the grade and, while I’m manager, I want to put out a side that is good enough to win the league.”

Langley’s spot has already gone to Ian Love, signed from Prescot Cables on Sunday, while he joins a growing Winsford enclave under former Blues reserve team manager Neil Gill at Alsager.

Gibiliru did not hide his disappointment at his number one’s departure.

“Mike handled it badly,” he said.

“He didn’t have the guts to tell me he wanted to move and he even denied it when I asked him first time around. He only admitted he had signed for Alsager when the paperwork came to us.”

Winsford bowed out of a second cup competition in as many weeks at the weekend after losing 3-2 at Hallam in the FA Vase, their second defeat of the week following a 2-0 league reverse at home to Formby.

But Gibiliru, boosted by the return of Dave Barnes, Mark Calland, John Bluck, John Couch and Jacob Baptista this week, vowed that his side’s season starts now.

“We’ve been understrength the past fortnight,” he said.

“Now I have everybody back battling for a place I expect to see an improvement on the pitch.

“I reckon I’m one player short, another forward, but apart from that this is a squad I believe can challenge for promotion.”

They welcome Maine Road to Barton Stadium on Saturday, kick off 3pm.