ACCRINGTON STANLEY boss Wayne Harrison wants his side to show they mean business next season by signing off on a high at home to high-flying Whitby Town.

A 2-2 draw at Runcorn last weekend might have consigned the Reds to UniBond First Division football next season but Harrison is refusing to be negative.

"We've got to finish on a high and show people how we are going to continue next season," said Harrison.

"I want to stay in the job and see it through.

"I've not achieved what I set out to achieve but I've given it my best shot and we just ran out of games.

"I'm pleased with the way we've turned it around in terms of results and team spirit and I think if we'd had another five or six games left we would have done it.

"But people can see there's a lot of positive things about the club now so we've just got to dust ourselves down and start again, all be it in another league."

Mark Howard, Paul Tomlinson, Paul Bottomley and Paul Lynch are all definitely ruled out of tomorrow's clash.

But Harrison is already planning for next season and hopes to sit down with chairman Eric Whalley and draw up a battle-plan once the Whitby game is out of the way. "I've already got my eye on a few players for next season but I need to sit down with Eric and see what the plans are.

"Because we are playing in a lower league it might affect the wage bill but that's something we'll have to discuss."

Meanwhile, Stanley's hot-shot striker Billy O'Callaghan has been invited to attend the Adidas Predators and Shopstoppers Awards night next month.

O'Callaghan is in line for an award as the UniBond Premier Division's leading goalscorer provided Colwyn Bay's Deniol Graham doesn't go goal-crazy against Emley tomorrow.

The former Droylsden front man has smashed 32 goals in his first season in the Premier Division and leads Graham, his nearest challenger, by four going into the last match.

The presentation evening will take place at the Ringway Hotel in Basingstoke on Friday May 14.

DARWEN boss Steve Wilkes has warned clubs to go through the proper channels if they hope to sign highly-rated defender Neil Durkin.

A clutch of top semi-pro clubs have run the rule over the 22-year-old in recent weeks following his man-of-the-match display against Morecambe in the ATS Trophy final.

And though Wilkes wouldn't stand in the player's way if he does decide to leave, he has told clubs to go about any deal in the right manner.

"I don't want to let him go because he's obviously a quality player. "But I wouldn't stand in his way if he did decide he wanted to play higher.

"People have got to go through the right channels if they want to speak to him.

"I spoke to the chief scout at Morecambe a couple of weeks ago and he asked if they could talk to him and I said 'yes, at the end of the season'.

"But I've since found out the club have already rung him up.

"That's not the way I conduct business and I'm very disappointed they've gone about it like that."

As well as the Shrimps, coaching staff from Lancaster City and Bamber Bridge have also checked out Durkin recently.

But Wilkes still hasn't given up hope on persuading him to stay at The Anchor because he believes he can be the lynch-pin of his side next season.

"We've not finished with Neil Durkin yet because he's the type of player I could build a side around.

"We'll do all we can to hang onto him and maybe we'll be able to offer him something to stay."

Meanwhile, The Anchormen will have Neil Cordingley and Steve Lynch missing for tomorrow's trip to seventh-placed Chadderton.

Cordingley is unavailable because of cricketing commitments while Lynch has been ruled out for the rest of the season with a damaged ankle.

Mick Lynch is also doubtful with a groin strain. "I've been at Darwen four years now and we've never beaten Chadderton so it would be nice to get one over them," said Wilkes.

The Anchormen may be even more depleted for Monday's trip to Woodley Sports because some of the squad are struggling to get off work.

BACUP BOROUGH should have Neil Rowbotham and Adam Potts back for Monday's derby against Colne at Holt House.

But Colin Lambert is ruled out through work commitments and striker Jason Rodgers is doubtful with an injury.

Former England and Manchester City star David White will present the awards at the club's annual presentation evening in the Martin Peters Sportsbar tonight.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.