FRANK Gray says he would like to sign Tom Hateley on loan from Reading for the rest of the season – but his plans could be scuppered if a team from a higher division come in for the midfielder.

Hateley’s loan at the Camrose was due to run out on New Year’s Day but has now been extended until January 17, allowing him to play against Wrexham and Bognor.

However, that extension takes his loan spell to the short term maximum of three months, meaning that Basingstoke must take him until the end of the season if they want to keep him after this.

Gray is keen to do this but admits that he could miss out if clubs at a higher level come in for the 19-year-old.

“Every game we have Tom for is a bonus for us because there is every chance a club at a higher level could come in for him,” the manager said. “We have taken him again with a view to extending the loan for the rest of the season as long as nobody else comes in, so we will have to see what happens.”

One player who will not be featuring for Town in the near future is Jason Bristow. The defender had surgery for a knee problem recently and the prognosis was not good.

“The tear in the cartilage and ligament was bigger than they thought it was and it has been bone on bone in there,” Bristow said. “They have tried to produce some scar tissue to stop that so hopefully it will be better in the long term.

“I have to be on crutches for six weeks before I go back to see how it has healed so it’s going to be at least two months before I can think about getting back playing.”

In other news, Basingstoke have announced that their home league fixture against Welling, which was called off last Saturday due to a frozen pitch, will now take place at the Camrose on Tuesday, March 3 (kick- off 7.45pm).