IN his playing days John Coleman hated being told he wasn't involved come Saturday afternoon, but the Stanley boss is having to break that news to more of his squad this season.

Coleman has never enjoyed as much depth in his Reds squad as he does for their assault on League One this season, but the added options on the pitch is also leading to more difficult conversations off it.

Last weekend captain Seamus Conneely and Scott Brown were left out as Coleman rejigged his midfield, while there was no place in the matchday squad for Ben Richards-Everton.

On the decision to drop Conneely and Brown to the bench, Coleman said: "They took it in the way they should do, they know I’m trying to do what is best for the team. We felt we could throw a more attacking line-up out and be a bit more forceful going forward and they did play their part when they came on.

"I’ve got to use what’s at my disposal to the best of my ability and to what they’re going to bring us for different games."

The decision certainly worked as Stanley claimed a first home win of the season, beating AFC Wimbledon 2-1, but Coleman admits telling players they aren't involved never gets any easier.

"It’s part of the job. Nobody likes to deliver bad news to anyone, when I got told I wasn’t playing it was like the end of the world," he said.

"These players know what I’m about, there’s no malice in my actions and they know whatever I do it for a reason.

"People go on about Scotty and Seamus stepping down, but I had to leave Ben out of the squad completely and he’s done nothing wrong this year. If anyone feels hard done by it would be him."

Meanwhile Stanley will be without Harvey Rodgers for around a month after the defender suffered a knee ligament injury.

The Reds camp has also been affected by a minor sickness bug ahead of Saturday's trip to Walsall.

"We've a little bit of sickness but nothing untowards," Coleman said.

"Harvey Rodgers has had a little nick in his knee ligaments so he’ll be out for about four or five weeks."

While Rodgers faces a spell on the sidelines Coleman could soon call on the services of Blackburn Rovers loanee Matty Platt, who is catching the eye in training and kept his match fitness up with a run out for Rovers' Under-23 side last week.

"Matty’s been absolutely outstanding in training in the last couple of weeks. He’s chomping at the bit. That does bode well for the future," he said.

"Rovers phoned us and said there was an opportunity for him to get a game and that was good. He’s going in the right direction."