Little looks to Dragons future

Apr 8 2008 by Phil Blanche, Western Mail

BRIAN LITTLE says his future – and that of his Wrexham players – is on the line during the next month.

The Dragons, who visit promotion-chasing MK Dons tonight (7.45pm), may now have little chance of avoiding relegation, but boss Little believes the club’s final six games of a dismal season will provide a valuable pointer for the future.

“Regardless of what happens at MK Dons and in our other games, our current position does not mean that football finishes at the end of the season,” he said.

“Most people will look at the game – top of the league against bottom – and put it down for a home win, but we beat them in January and it’s often the case that top teams are less comfortable playing those at the bottom.

“And there is still plenty to play for as far as everyone here is concerned because the football will continue beyond the end of the season.

“It’s at times like this that you learn a lot about players and there will be people watching our lads to see what they are made of.

“We have players here who are out of contract soon and my future is also up in the air, so we have all got something personal to play for as well as trying to keep the club in the football league.”

Having taken just two points from the last five games, the Dragons are still seven adrift of the safety zone, but Little is adamant that his team have improved.

“We need to do well in games such as this to show people we can fight, that we have spirit and that we have not given up,” he added.

“What we don’t want to do is to repeat our silly mistakes.

“I genuinely believe that since January 1 we have been competitive in every match we have played. There have been some we’ve lost when we should have drawn and there have been some we have drawn and should have won.

“But I can not think of one game since the turn of the year in which we have been outclassed.

“We need to take that attitude into the MK Dons game, we might accept they are a better team than us because results and the league table prove that to be the case.

“But we beat them in January and we can not go there to lie down and let them walk all over us.”

Wrexham will be without defender Simon Spender, who was stretchered out of Saturday’s 1-1 draw against Macclesfield with ankle ligament damage. Loan striker Drewe Broughton is unable to turn out against his parent club. Gareth Evans and Mike Williams have been added to the squad and there is an outside chance that experienced midfielder Jeff Whitley will also travel.

The former Northern Ireland international, who damaged a shoulder last week, was passed fit to rejoin training yesterday.

Wrexham: (probable): Ward, Bolland, S Evans, Mike Williams, Aiston, D Williams, Roberts, Llewellyn, Taylor, Marc Williams, Proctor. Subs: (from) A Williams, Done, G Evans, Hall, Nicholson, Whitley.