Waddock Ready For Another Tough Test

Last updated : 26 September 2008 By Stray Shots Team
Gary Waddock: Another tough test ahead.
Aldershot News reporter Charlie Oliver has been speaking to Shots manager Gary Waddock as the team prepare to set off for an over night stay ahead of their League Two fixture against Notts County.

Having lost in their last three away outings, the boss was quick to point out that things won't be easy against their hosts saying, ""People can talk about County being without a win — but Luton were without a home win in the league when we went there. And we lost.

"We know we will be in for a very difficult game. Any game at this level is tough but County have a nice stadium, plenty of fans and an awful lot of history. It's not so long ago that they were much higher up in the Football League."

Meanwhile County manager Ian McParland will send his players out against Aldershot at Meadow Lane tomorrow with an emotional message: "Win it for Jimmy".

With County without a win in League Two this season McParland, who was signed by Jimmy Sirrel from Ormiston Primrose in 1980, believes victory against the Shots would be a fitting tribute to the club's most successful manager who died this week at the age of 86.

With connections to The Shots - where he began his coaching career and County, McParland has revealed he will tell his players all about the famous feats Sirrel achieved as Magpies' boss, taking the club from Division Four to the top-flight, in his pre-match team-talk to try to inspire them.

He told the local media, "It will be a sad day but I would like to think we could get a win for Jimmy. We are overdue a win.

"Most of the lads in the dressing-room don't know him, apart from Johnno (Michael Johnson) who was coming up through the club when Jimmy was gaffer.

"I will have a few words with them and tell them all about what Jimmy was about. I would like to think they will win for him and the fans."

The club have now decided to hold a minute's applause to remember Sirrel before kick-off, rather than a minute's silence.

Many of the Magpies' legends - Don Masson, David Needham, Brian Stubbs, Dean Yates and Iain McCulloch - will be attending the game in honour of him and McParland has paid his own tribute to his former manager.

"I cannot talk highly enough about Jimmy Sirrel," he said. "He brought me to this club as a 19-year-old, which was a long, long time ago, and gave me a chance to play professional football.

"He was great for me."

For the full Aldershot News preview on the match, click on the link below:
www.gethampshire.co.uk/sport/football/s/2036104_young_shots_hope_for_joy_against_old_magpies