Fantastic 4 Join The Shots

Last updated : 28 July 2005 By Stray Shots Team
Terry Brown has signed former QPR and Wigan Athletic defenders Lewis Hamilton and Hassan Sulaiman on one year contracts.

Also joining them at the Recreation Ground are Bertie Brayley and Chris Nurse who have signed for one month and three months respectively.

The signing of Brayley and Nurse could go towards meaning that Terry Brown is not committing himself to any long term deals until he knows if Roscoe D'Sane will be fit enough to sign a long term deal or failing that, waiting to see who else becomes available in the near future.

Brown finally gave Shots fans new heroes to cheer with the signings of the four triallists who have caught his eye.

Full backs Hassan Sulaiman and Lewis Hamilton come into the squad along with midfield man Chris Nurse, who impressed in Saturday's friendly with Eastleigh.

Brown then followed that up by capturing striker Bertie Brayley on a month-loan deal, which will act as an extended trial basis leading up to the start of the Conference campaign.

Things may be looking up it seems, but it's the ever-growing injury situation at the club which is causing the boss sleepless nights.

"It could not have got any worse," he said. "I've literally got a whole team of players out and I'll be lucky to get a side out for the forthcoming pre-season games.

"I'm happy with the new boys, who will give me good cover, but when two of them go down injured on you, you start to wonder what it is we have to do?"

Brown is talking about his two new full backs Sulaiman and Hamilton, who broke the news of their latest knocks to the boss at training this week.

Their time now in deputising for month-long casualties Tarkan Mustafa and Darren Barnard respectively, will now have to be passed on to two others, thus further preventing Brown from piecing together a settled side in time for the visit of Tamworth on August 13.

Mustafa, Barnard, Steve Watson, Gary Holloway and Roscoe D'Sane are major doubts for the start of the new campaign, although keeper Nikki Bull, striker Tim Sills, defender John Brough and the two new full backs should be fine to return.

Brown was, however, hoping to use the games this week in taking another look at striker Chris Senior, who had his own injury and illness problems last week, and midfielder Michael Alexis, who scored twice in the victory over Eastleigh on Saturday.

With thanks to the Aldershot News.