Reds face old boys network

THREE Accrington Stanley old boys will return to the Interlink on Saturday, keen to upset their former club.

Goalkeeper Jamie Speare and defender Jerome Fitzgerald will be hoping to be in the starting line-up for Southport while manager Liam Watson played under Reds manager John Coleman in 2000/01.

Speare was at Stanley for six seasons and was a fans favourite before leaving in 2004 and admits it will be tough returning - especially if he is on the bench as he has been for most of the season.

"It will be absolute torture if I am on the bench as I am desperate to play. It is the manager's choice but I will be over the moon if I start. It means such a lot coming back," said Speare, 29.

The two clubs are at opposite ends of the spectrum with Stanley second in the league following their 2-0 win over Forest Green and three successive wins and Southport have lost their last four matches and are second from bottom.

"They need the points as desperately as we do," continued Speare. "And we want to beat Accrington because it is a local derby,  we are part-time and they are full time and they are second in the league."

John Coleman will be looking to build on their run of form but it will be the last game for goalkeeper Darren Randolph following his three month loan spell at Stanley.

The 18-year-old is hoping to return when the transfer window re-opens in January but, for the next month, his Premiership team-mate Robert Elliot, 19, has joined the Reds until the end of December.

Peter Cavanagh hopes to start following an ankle injury while striker David Brown has recovered from a hip injury. Young forward  Andy Mangan returns from suspension for the Southport clash.