ACCRINGTON Stanley captain Andy Procter insists the squad are focused on results rather than unpaid wages ahead of tonight’s Johnstone’s Paint Trophy second round tie at home to Shrewsbury.
The Stanley squad go into the game, which kicks off at the earlier time of 7pm to encourage families to attend, having still not received half of their money for September but Procter says they are instead concentrating all their thoughts on a return to form after Saturday’s 1-0 loss at Chesterfield in League Two.
Stanley won four of their six games last month – including a 5-3 win over Crewe in their last home game – so Procter is now targeting another run of results to help the club progress in the trophy and also prevent their league standing slipping lower than their current position of 14th.
On the subject of the wages, which were due to be paid last Wednesday, he said: “The lads have received half the money and the rest is supposed to be going in on Sunday.
“But that’s not an issue, none of the boys even mentioned it before Saturday’s game.
“To be honest there’s not too much the players can do about it apart from put performances in on the pitch and try to get fans through the gates.
“Certainly with the Crewe game we did that but with results like the one on Saturday, it’s two steps forward and one step back at the moment. We’ve got to go on a run because we don’t want to be looking over our shoulders like we have done for the last three seasons.”
Tonight’s game is the first of three consecutive home matches – Cheltenham visit on Saturday before Stanley take on Bournemouth a week later.
John Coleman was disappointed with Saturday’s performance at Chesterfield and Procter believes the manager and assistant Jimmy Bell deserve great praise for the job they have done this season.
Coleman was linked with Tranmere before John Barnes filled the vacancy in the summer and, with Barnes now under pressure at Prenton Park, some Stanley fans fear the job may become available again.
Procter said: “He’s done really well with a small squad. He has assembled quality rather than quantity. To still be enthusiastic after 10 years at the club is a credit to him and Jimmy.
“They’re both winners and there was no-one more disappointed than them with Saturday’s performance.
“The gaffer labelled us soft-centred after Saturday’s game, which after our away performances is a fair comment.
“We have to prove him wrong now. Before Saturday we’d only had one defeat in six and starting with tonight we’ve got to put another run together.”
Darran Kempson is a doubt for the clash with his old club with a slight groin problem, while Alan Martin misses the next two games on international duty.
Billy Kee will be available for both matches, though, because Northern Ireland under 21s do not play until next Tuesday.
Stanley may make a couple of changes to their side against the League Two promotion chasers, who won 3-1 at the Crown Ground in the league in August, but remain keen to progress in the competition.
The match will go straight to penalties if it is level after 90 minutes.
Possible Stanley line-up: Ian Dunbavin; Luke Joyce, Tom Lees, Phil Edwards, Dean Winnard; Chris Turner, Jimmy Ryan, Andy Procter, Bobby Grant; Gary King, Michael Symes.
Possible Shrewsbury line-up: Steve Phillips; Harry Hooman, Graham Coughlan, Kelvin Langmead, Shane Cansdell-Sherriff; Lewis Neal, Jake Simpson, Kevin McIntyre, Steven Leslie; Dave Hibbert, Jake Robinson.
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