Cherries taster for Terras
By Derek Bish

Monday 5th July 2010

IAN Hutchinson hopes to strengthen his Weymouth squad with the signing of two first-year professionals from Npower League One club AFC Bournemouth.

The Terras’ boss cast his eye over central midfielder Bradley MacGookin and centre-half Matt Oldring during pre-season training last week and has been impressed with what he has seen so far.

Both MacGookin and Oldring have featured for the Cherries’ reserves but seem as if they will be moving on in search of first-team football.

“They have been recommended to us so we are going to have a look at them,” said Hutchinson. “They have been around a pro club for a while so are very fit and we’ll have a look at them over the next few weeks in games.

“These are the sorts of players we might have to seriously consider with the way the football club is at the moment.

“They are hungry young lads so we will run the rule over them. They have worked hard in training so far.”

Hutchinson conceded that the club’s financial position may lead them to signing young prospects who have the potential to make it in the game, but insisted that some older heads were also being targeted by the Terras.

“We are looking at lads like these who are young but we need a bit of experience around them,” said the Weymouth boss. “We still have a month and a half until the season starts and there are lots of players still without clubs and I’m speaking to targets every day.

“It could be the case that we make signings in the last week before the season starts but we are slowly getting there and progressing talks with players, which will hopefully come to fruition in the next few weeks.”

Ollie Tribe, Simon Radcliffe, Scott Dixon and Ben Reiffer are just some of last year’s squad that look set to be involved again this campaign while left-back Martin Slocombe is on the verge of rejoining having left the Terras for Bath City in March.

Others being watched by Hutchinson include Portland United’s Lewis Whyton and several other local players, as well as Bridgwater Town goalkeeper Tom Manley.