BASINGSTOKE Town manager Terry Brown is delighted with the news that he will be able to keep his exciting young team for the rest of the season.

However, the fund raising for the football team goes as ahead of their move to the Winklebury next season and an exciting new beginning for the team.

Last week, the club made an appeal through the Basingstoke Gazette and the feedback enabled the community board to assure Brown he would now not have to slash his squad.

Brown said: “It is really great news for everyone as we are building towards next year and have an exciting young team. We want to keep most of them, so when we move to Winklebury we will have a great side for fans to come and watch.”

All money raised now goes to the Community Club and there are many ways in people in the Basingstoke community can help. They need people as volunteers, assist in raising funds, signing up for events like the Sports Evening on February 22 or the Beer Festival on Easter Monday (April 2).

Next month they will be approaching local companies to become corporate members of the Community Club and more. You can email admin@btfc.co.uk if you are interested.

The next meeting for Community Club members will be be held on Tuesday, 20 February 20 at 7pm in the club house at the Camrose.

On the football field this weekend, Town travel to seventh placed Banbury and will still be without suspended midfielder Charlie Kennedy, after Tuesday night’s game against Stratford was postponed, along with injured pair Michael Atkinson and Dan Collier.

Brown said: “We are without all our main holding midfielder so we will play a very attacking style. Banbury are a good side and still have ambitions of the play-offs so it will be a tough game.”