‘I’m not throwing in the towel’ affirms Spurs boss Hayden

NEWTON Abbot Spurs 1st XI manager Matt Hayden has affirmed “I’m not throwing in the towel” amidst a difficult spell for the club both on and off the pitch.

He only arrived at The Rec back in May and has been faced with no shortage of stumbling blocks.

Goalkeeper Jimmy Weeks made a costly error in a 2-0 defeat to Cullompton Rangers last month only to then join them days later. Granted, he had otherwise been a standout performer.

Weeks was one of several players to follow both Hayden and Sam Biscoe over from Stoke Gabriel & Torbay Police.

Hayden was Biscoe’s assistant at Stoke with the roles reversed at Spurs and the latter has now returned to Broadley Lane under a bit of a cloud, taking a key quartet with him.

Tom Burt, Rob Heaps, Jacob Osborne and Saul Vanes were all absent from the squad that travelled to Honiton Town on Saturday, October 3, with their departures now sealed.

Hayden peeled back the curtain to explain the ongoing situation: “Sam felt like the club had let us down so he’s decided to go back to Stoke and has taken [those four players] all back there with him.

“They all felt the same thing, that the club had let them down.

“The club haven’t let us down, they’re doing everything they can possibly can for us.

“We don’t have a massive budget but I’m not throwing the towel in. I’m going to keep fighting and keep going, I’m going to make sure we can be the best version that we can be.”

Whilst some regular starters have made a swift return to Stoke Gabriel, the likes of skipper Will Hancox, Sam Hancox, Jordan Hogan and Jesse Howe have stuck by their manager.

“I’ve got huge admiration and respect for the rest of the boys here who have turned around and said they’re sticking with me and they’re not going anywhere.

“They don’t care about money or anything like that, they could probably all go and earn more if they wanted to so I’m really grateful for the boys that want to stick it out here. Ultimately, they’re here to play for myself and each other.”

Not only are Spurs faced with the upheaval of these untimely departures but they are now short-handed and tasked with recruiting replacements.

Young goalkeeper Harry Meaden has stepped up from within the ranks and the same goes for 2nd XI forward Dev Webb. Other players from the reserves have also appeared here and there alongside some really young talents.

Hayden highlighted that “Trying to rebuild within a matter of days, mid-season, is never easy” but added that the performance against Elburton Villa “was a good starting block for the rebuild that we’re now going through.”

Little is known about their long-term futures with Spurs but Jadore Lawson and Brodie Simpson have both been drafted in.

Lawson joined Bovey Tracey AFC from Ivybridge Town in the summer but with Moorlanders boss Ben Gerring orchestrating a shake-up of his own, the tricky winger played under Hayden in the defeat at Honiton to top-up his game time.

Simpson was in the starting XI against Elburton and acquitted himself well but he plies his trade in the Devon Football League with Bere Alston United.

On the latter, Hayden said: “Whether he comes in full time, we don’t know. For the minute it was just to come in and help us and then it will all be about conversations moving forward.”

Then regarding Lawson, it is up in the air as to where his services are required.

No matter what happens with that duo, Spurs will be desperate to avoid any further trials and tribulations and you’d imagine that Hayden is going to look to add a couple of bodies.