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Bains a possible

Date: Friday 1st January 2010, by Tynesider

Darlington centre half Rikki Bains has emerged as a possible signing. Believed to be out of contract and unwanted by Steve Staunton, Bains has been out on-loan at slack jawed yocal rivals Blythe Spartans.

Starting the season under Colin Todd at Darlo, Bains fell out of the first team picture after playing in a number of positions unsucessfully. Staunton came in and Rikki was moved out on-loan where he's had a productive spell in the Conference North with some man of the match performances.

It appears a bit of a risk to take by Bogie (assuming he would be the only defensive addition) at a time when we need to get certainties and not possibles (ability wise) in the door for the fight. We've found out to our cost so far the massive chasm that exists between the Conference North and the Conference Premier, with the Premier not being too far in ability from League 2. With that in mind and his failure to shine at the bottom placed League 2 team is he a risk too far? Only time will tell and on his side is a successful season at Tamworth in their previous spell in the Conference Premier. Hopefully we'll have egg on our faces for raising this concern, as the management may see him as a low risk replacement for Pelonde whilst also adding a proven centre half in the window.

Elsewhere the club continue to negotiate over two midfielders and hope to tie up a deal for Jon Shaw by the weekend as Barrow hover. Retaining Daryl Clare is certainly up in the air, with the player said to be keen to come back, but with Mansfield having paid £6,500 in pre-season and the pressure on David Holdsworth (rumoured to have applied for the Notts County job) by the fans to include him in future plans, only time will tell what will happens.

On the fixtures side of things to keep the squad ticking over, a Gateshead XI will play a friendly against Spennymoor Town on Durham City's 3G pitch this coming Tuesday night. So assuming the snow has shifted, try and get along as admission is only £3 Adults and £1 Concessions.