Bully warning as Dovey signs up

Stafford manager Steve Bull has warned the club's trial players that they have until Rangers face Wrexham on Saturday week to play themselves into contracts at Marston Road.

Bully was less than happy after watching last night's friendly at Midland Football Combination outfit Heath Hayes, a game specifically arranged to give the trialists and fringe players at the club the chance to impress the manager.

A 3-2 defeat, with defender Wayne Daniel the only regular first-teamer involved, left Bull in a rage, although goals from Paul McMahon and Tom Ingram gave him something to shout about.

He said: "I was expecting a lot more from the players than they showed me. They had a chance to show me what they can do and they did not take it.

"It was not just the defence, we were poor across the park. Well, as far as I am concerned, the trial players have until we play Wrexham to earn themselves a contract.

"By that point, they will have had a fair number of weeks training with us and time in games as well, so none of them can say they have not had a fair chance."

Bully has proved that if a player impresses, he will be offered terms, as he announced that trial striker Linden Dovey, who spent last season with Shifnal, had signed a one-year deal.

The 21-year-old knows the region well, after a spell at Hednesford last season, so is likely to fit in well with Bully's summer recruitment. He certainly looks fit enough, chasing ball after ball despite barely having a sniff against Shrewsbury on Saturday.

He replaces another striker in Dolapo Olaoye, who has left the club, with Blue Square North rivals Redditch thought to be his next destination.

Bull said: "Linden has looked good, particularly against Shrewsbury, and I feel his arrival bolsters a promising attack.

"We have Nick Wellecomme, David McNiven is looking a lot fitter and Linden is looking to be the part as well.

"But that is by no means the end of our recruiting. There is still some time before the season starts, so we have time to get players in.

"Our side will have taken shape before we play Wolves in our last pre-season friendly in a fortnight."