Thursdays face battle for survival (From Free Press Series)

Thursdays face battle for survival

ABERGAVENNY Thursdays have three games left to hold onto their Gwent County League status.

But with New Inn, who lie just above them in the Division Three table, having five games in hand over the Pen-y-Pound club the odds are stacked against Thursdays doing a Houdini and avoiding the drop.

"Something has to happen now because time has nearly run out," admitted manager Bill Mainwaring "We have to pull a run together. We have had our chances throughout the season and played well, but still not won. I just hope luck goes our way."

Thursdays dismal season hasn't been helped by the on-going saga of who will take control of the club's running next season. Two parties are vying for its control - the Abergavenny Thursdays Trust, which includes Mainwaring, and the Abergavenny Community House organisation.

Mainwaring admitted it was a headache they could really do without.

"I think the council want the two of us to join forces together, but I can not see that working. The club needs one figure head at the helm and the means the council deciding one way or another soon.

"The summer months will be crucial to both parties because they nights are longer meaning we can work on the amenities at the club," he said.

If Thursdays are relegated to the bottom tier of the Gwent football triangle - the Gwent Central League - then it will mark an all-time low for the one-time FA Cup challengers.

Mainwaring though insists the foundations at the club are now strong enough to build its way back up.

"There is strength in the club now," he assured. "If we do drop then unlike before we will be OK. What we need before then though is the council to make it's decision on who they are going to back to run the club."

Yet despite being favourites for the drop Thursdays could be saved by a last minute reprieve. A number of Division Three sides have been forced to pull out from the competition this season because of various difficulties.

That means the Gwent FA might decide to spare Thursdays from relegation to maintain a steady number of sides in the division.

"New Inn were bottom last year, but didn't go down because so many clubs had dropped out throughout the campaign. At the end of the day though that decision lies in the Gwent FA's hands and not ours," said Mainwaring.

Either way the Thursdays chief already has his one eye of the summer and what changes he'll be looking to make to his squad.

"Ryan Routley joined us from Llanwern and he has made a big difference up front. What we need is someone up alongside him to bag goals too. In the close season I think that's something I'll be looking for."

Thursdays are away at Whiteheads this Saturday, kick off 3pm.