Veteran attacker could go straight into battle

EVO-STIK Northern Premier League Rainworth Miners Welfare are hoping much much-travelled midfielder and striker Henry Sibenge can help fire them up the table, writes Gordon Foster.

Sibenge, pictured, helped Mickleover Sports to last season's First Division South play-off final and could feature on Saturday when the Wrens head to Newcastle Town in league action after arriving at Kirklington Road this week.

The 31-year-old lists Frickley Athletic, Hucknall Town, Ossett Town, Goole, Scarborough Athletic, Arnold Town, Armthorpe Welfare, Shirebrook Town and Eastwood Town among his former clubs. He had been playing for Kimberley MW in the East Midlands Counties League this season before joint managers Ian Robinson and John Knapper offered him the chance to return to play at a higher level again in the EVO-STIK NPL.

Robinson, whose side return to action this weekend after two blank Saturdays, says they still have a number of other irons in the fire but acknowledges the handicap the pair are working under to attract players.

He said: "Of course, it's difficult when you are working within a tight budget such as ours while local clubs in lower divisions are offering more, and also when you are down at the wrong end of the league table.

"But it's not an unfamiliar position for me to be in, along with my former managerial partner Gary Sucharewicz we have turned clubs around before, and there is no reason why John [Knapper] and I cannot do that here.

"The type of player we seek to recruit is one whose priority is to test himself at the highest level possible rather than chase the cash at lower levels - it's difficult, but it's not impossible, and we continue to try to go on attracting players of the right calibre, such as those we have brought in so far."

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