Calder an interested observer at Avenue
By Adam Summers

Monday 15th January 2007

GARY Calder was an interested observer at the Avenue Stadium on Saturday, sparking speculation as to why he attended the Nationwide Conference South match between Dorchester and Cambridge City.

The Terras chief executive witnessed Sonyo Da Mata, who was on trial at Weymouth in December, starring in the Magpies' 3-1 win.

Da Mata is on non-contract terms in the county town and perhaps Calder, who is in charge of team affairs at the Wessex Stadium after the departures of Garry Hill and Kevin Hales last week, could be tempted to
making an approach for the Portuguese forward.

Terras' defender Roy O'Brien was also in attendance - there has been speculation O'Brien could be part of the new Terras coaching set up - but Magpies' manager Mick Jenkins said he would be interested in the former Yeovil defender, if he would be prepared to return to his former club.

"Roy is a player I would like to bring in but whether we can tempt him into coming here remains to be seen," said Jenkins. "I am aware of his attributes, he has been here before as a player - he has outstanding ability.

"If Roy wants to stay local, we would be interested. Whether that would suit Roy remains to be seen. If I get a chance to speak to him then we will talk."

O'Brien and Calder could have both been watching potential targets. But Jenkins hopes his non-­contract players will stay loyal.

"They have had Da Mata there before - that is an option for them. We have got two or three like that (non-contract players). We will have to see what happens but I would like to think, 'we have stuck by some of them, they will stick by us'," said Jenkins, "but football being the world it is you never know," he' added.