ABERYSTWYTH Town's new player-boss Dave Burrows faces a race against
time to rebuild his decimated squad for the start of their Welsh
Premier League campaign at Port Talbot Town this Saturday.

The Seasiders have seen a mass exodus of players following the
departure of ex-manager Gary Finley, with the remaining Liverpool-
based players from last season deciding to leave the club last week.

Burrows was appointed the new manager following interviews last
Wednesday night, and he will be assisted by striker Marc Lloyd-
Williams, with Gavin Allen continuing in the role of first team
coach.

South-Walian Burrows joined the Seasiders from Haverfordwest in 2001
and has since been a model of consistency, making 87 league
appearances for the club.

The 32-year-old defender has also played for Cwmbran, Briton Ferry,
Inter CableTel and Carmarthen, making a total of 224 appearances in
the Welsh Premier League.

Burrows has been left with a skeleton squad ahead of the new
campaign and has immediately begun the search for new players, with
several new faces expected to attend training last night (Tuesday).

He said: "We've cancelled our last friendly against Llangefni
because there is no point playing games until we know what players
we've got, we will take a look in training.

"I've been on the phone this week to players and there are a couple
lined-up, but there are no names to announce yet. For now, we have
to make do and see who we get in.

"The problem is that everyone is signed and there are only a few
stragglers around.

"We will be in at the deep end on Saturday, but we can then start
putting seven days' notice on players at other clubs. We have got
good connections, with myself in south Wales, Gavin Allen in mid
Wales and Marc Lloyd-Williams in the north, so hopefully we get in a
few players over the next few weeks."

Aber face a tough start to the campaign with Saturday's visit to
Port Talbot being followed by games against TNS and Afan Lido at
home, Caernarfon away and then Rhyl at home.

Saturday's emphatic defeat against Welsh League outfit Goytre United
did nothing to raise their confidence and Burrows admitted that the
team must ride the storm for now.

Captain Bari Morgan will miss the start of the season after
sustaining ligament damage in a friendly at Bala and defender
Aneurin Thomas is recovering from a knee injury.

However Aber are hopeful that midfielder Dave Bridgwater, who played
twice for the club on non-contact forms in the Intertoto Cup, could
be making a surprise return.

The ex-Telford United and TNS midfielder has been on trial with
Forest Green Rovers and Redditch during the pre-season but is
believed to be interested in lining up again for the Park Avenue
club.

Gavin Allen's brother, ex-Welsh international Malcolm Allen, will
meanwhile aid Aber's recruitment drive by using his connections with
both Swansea City and the Stevenage Borough's academy.

Aber coach Allen said: "We were expecting that the Scousers would
probably join Finley in leaving the club, but we will be using all
our connections to bring in several new players.

"The first couple of weeks are going to be very tough but in a few
months we are hopeful that we will have the squad that we want, the
problem we have got is the bad timing."

Copyright Tindle Newspapers Ltd 11 August 04