IT was his disapproval of zombie film-makers that showed James Beattie’s commitment to Accrington Stanley, and the Reds boss is helping to find new investors as he looks to put a long term plan in place at the club.

Beattie is acutely aware that Stanley need wins and fast as they go into tonight’s League Two match at home to Bristol Rovers.

Despite only one loss in four, they have not claimed a league victory in 12 attempts so far this season, and sit five points adrift at the bottom of the table.

But that will not stop Beattie doing what he thinks is right for the long-term good of the club.

The Stanley boss has signed 21-year-old striker George Bowerman, who played 33 times for League One club Walsall last season and was recently with Woking, on a contract until the end of the season after a trial.

And he is also hoping to assist chairman Peter Marsden’s attempts to find new investors.

A desire for success drives on the 35-year-old, who helped Stanley avoid relegation as a player last season. A win at Bristol Rovers secured safety.

“I’ve done some quite special stuff in my career, but that ranks up there with the best of them,” he said.

“Since the moment I signed last year I enjoyed myself. I wasn’t working at that particular time, I was training on my own and I was little bit down in the dumps. Here I became part of something.”

It was at the end of season party when Beattie’s passion for the club impressed Marsden.

A zombie film, shot at the stadium months earlier, was shown to players. Beattie was unhappy with the way it portrayed Stanley and said so.

“One of the major things that suggested to Peter that I was to become manager was the way I stuck up for the club at the end of season party, with the video that was shown to everybody,” he said.

“Peter said, ‘I couldn’t believe it, you showed a massive amount of passion for the club, you must really like it here’.

“I said, ‘I do, I love being here.’ “I’ve had an affinity since I was a young lad, we used to play our cup finals here, and if my dad was here he’d be extremely proud that I was a manager.

“I want to do things at this club that are not just a quick fix. We’re trying to put things in place that secure Accrington for years to come. We’ve revamped the whole academy system and on a daily basis 75 per cent of what I do is probably non-football related.

“I’m not naive enough to think that results aren’t going to be one of the main issues that drive success. We’ve not got as many points as we’d hoped, but things are going in the right direction on and off the pitch.

“I’m trying to convince Peter to do all sorts of stuff around the club. I had a great meeting with him on Friday.

“I’m tapping into my network of friends and trying to come up with some money and some ideas to improve the marketing side.

“I know he’s working tirelessly to try to get people to invest and we need it because we’re only a small club. But we’re a club with a tremendous fighting spirit.”

Lee Naylor has extended his short-term deal at the club.