Bentley turns attention to loan window

Morecambe boss Jim Bentley has already turned his attention to Monday’s loan window after a frustrating January.
Tom McCready.Tom McCready.
Tom McCready.

The Shrimps were the only club in League 2 not to make a signing with players needing to leave the Globe Arena to make way for new arrivals.

However as the club are looking at loan signings Bentley believes the window closing isn’t as significant for the Shrimps as it is might be for other clubs.

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He said: “At the end of the window we did have one or two lined up because it looked like a couple of our players might go out.

“Ryan Williams was up in Motherwell and there was a little bit of interest elsewhere.

“Another player’s turned down a couple of loan moves, he didn’t think they were the right ones and you can’t exactly get a player in a headlock and march him out of the door.

“I thought it was in his best interests to go and play competitive football for a bit.

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“Players have the final say, he’s staying and will be treated exactly the same as everybody else.

“The loan window opens next week so we’ll be hoping to do that business then.

“It’s just one more game that they miss.

“I’ve never paid a transfer fee so the window closing doesn’t concern us in that respect.”

One bit of activity on Monday’s deadline day saw non-contract midfielder Tom McCready leave for Exeter.

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Bentley said: “He was playing for expenses which was great.

“He did okay for us but we couldn’t give him a contract.

“I was quite keen in a way to keep him but he wanted to go and play regular at football.

“He could go on trial on Exeter because he was non-contract and they’ve offered him a contract.

“We weren’t in a position to offer him that contract and he seems to think he’ll maybe get in the Exeter team.

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“He’s backing himself and he’s got the contract he wanted.”

Another deal that caught the eye before the window shut was former Shrimps loanee Scott Davies joining Accrington on loan for the rest of the season.

John Coleman was able to snap up the Fleetwood stopper after defender Tom Aldred joined Blackpool for an undisclosed fee.

Bentley said: “Scott was here and did fantastic for us.

“At the time I wanted to keep him so I thought it was a key one but circumstances financially meant we couldn’t.

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“Andreas (Arestidou) has done well since Scott left but players can’t wait around for ever and Scott wants to go and play.

“He’s not getting a look in at Fleetwood, Accrington have given him an opportunity and he’s made the move there.

“I’m a little bit envious if you like but I’ve full trust in Andreas and he’s doing great for us.”

Tuesday’s practice match at Rotherham was called off due to a frozen pitch.

The game had been set to feature both trialist Jamie Allen and Joe McGee on his return from cruciate knee ligament surgery.