Raven Back-Beharall Stays at BP-Offer For Allen?

By: Richard Lord
Date: 17/10/2001

THE Man Utd and Arsenal Worthington Cup fixture will now take place on November 5. The original third round tie was postponed to November 7 because of terrorist attacks in the United States but the clash has now been moved forward to Monday, November 5. The match will be shown live on ITV Sport.

Lennie Lawrence was upbeat today after news that Paul Raven will be fit enough to be in contention for the Wimbledon away game on November 3. Raven looks set to play some part in the reserve game against Scunthorpe this afternoon and Stacy Coldicott will continue his return to full fitness by also playing against the Iron.

Speaking to the Grimsby Evening Telegraph of Paul Raven: "Raves will get 20 minutes in the Reserves today. Since he's come back after the op, he's had two weeks at home and it's been a rapid improvement since. He's looking all right in training." The 31-year old defender went under the knife to remove a piece of floating bone in his ankle after injuring it in the pre-season friendly win over Scunthorpe.

Lawrence went on: "There's a Reserve game next Monday and he'll play 60 or 70 minutes in that. Then, in the one after that, he'll play the full 90 and that will be it. With this spate of midweek games, by the time Wimbledon away comes around he might be in it."

In other news today, Lawrence is asking the board for money, David Beharall will be staying at Town and a bid is rumoured to be expected for Bradley Allen.

Lawrence was reported to be holding talks with the Town board today as he looks for the club to fund the players he says he desperately needs to avert a crisis at Blundell Park. Without a win in seven League games, the Mariners' season is threatening to fall apart and Lawrence needs some extra cash to plug a few holes.

On Beharall Lawrence said "Newcastle have indicated that they are happy to extend on whatever basis we want. I'm meeting with the directors today because that loan deal is only part of a bigger picture. It's not just him, it's what we need to make sure the squad is big enough."

Lawrence is looking to bring Beharall in on a season long loan to enable him to bring in a right-back in time for Saturday's game against Watford. However, his attempt to see Watford play last night was thwarted by a fire near the ground, which caused a cancellation of the game.

COLCHESTER UNITED have failed in their attempts to lure both veteran striker Brett Angell and West Ham youngster Richard Garcia to Layer Road reports www.planetfootball.com. The United boss has now switched his sights to out-of-favour Grimsby Town striker Bradley Allen.

The former Charlton Athletic man is well-known to United fans after his one-month loan spell in Essex during 1999, and his attacking guile could well cement the club's play-off ambitions.

Allen, who hails from nearby Romford, has struggled with a series of niggling injuries over recent months and it is thought that Grimsby manager Lennie Lawrence would be happy to part with the 30-year-old for a small fee.

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