Players hope to stay at Camrose

10:59am Saturday 19th April 2008

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BASINGSTOKE Town captain Steve Laidler says the present first-team squad would like to remain at the Camrose next season - but admits that off-the-field issues could prevent this from happening.

Things are somewhat up in the air with regards to the future of the club at the moment, with the board looking for a new manager and cuts likely to be made to the playing budget over the summer.

The entire first-team squad will be out of contract at the end of the season, and while Laidler says the players enjoy playing for the club, he fears that the team could break up.

"We (the players) have talked about staying on and, if we could, that would be a good thing because we would already have a season playing together behind us," he said. "The squad gets on really well and we enjoy playing together.

"We have a good team and it would be nice to see that built on rather than broken up.

"That happened last summer at Farnborough, but it is one of those things in non-league football.

"I think the squad breaking up is always going to be a worry because people have got different things to think about and need a certain amount of money."

The hard-tackling midfielder played an instrumental role in the club's fine early season form, providing a defensive shield in the middle of the park and linking the team together with clever passes and a willingness to make himself available for the ball.

A knee injury has prevented Laidler starting a game since New Year's Day and, in his absence, Basingstoke won just twice in 14 Blue Square South outings.

The 24-year-old underwent an operation in February and has featured as a substitute in Town's last two games. He is delighted to be back and hopes the injury has now cleared up for good.

"It has been horrible watching the last few months," Laidler said. "I hate it at the best of times and it is even worse when the team is losing. You just want to be out there playing.

"I am very pleased to be back, training with the guys and being a part of the whole set-up. When you are injured, you are on the side-lines and do not really feel part of the team.

"There was no reaction after the last game so I am hoping to be back in the team before the end of the season."

Laidler, who joined the club following the collapse of Farnborough Town last summer, admits that the board's decision to cut the budget halfway through the season did have an adverse effect on results.

"It just knocked the wind out of our sails," he said.

"Some people have mortgages and things to worry about and they did not know where they were going to get the money from."

The midfielder says he was surprised when he heard that Francis Vines had resigned as manager, but is enjoying playing for caretaker Steve Richardson.

"Steve is doing a great job," Laidler added.

"He gets on well with the players, we have a laugh and you know where you stand with him.

"It could be a shame that he is not applying for the job because he lives locally and has been at the club for a long time."