Source: Northern_Echo
Gillespie hungry for more success
NEW Darlington signing Keith Gillespie may be approaching the latter stages of his playing career yet he retains a desire to be successful, according to manager Mark Cooper.[LNB] The Irishman signed for Quakers on Thursday and is in the squad that plays today at eighth-placed Wrexham.[LNB] Darlington, 11th, but only four points off sixth, are hoping to extend their unbeaten run to six matches, with Gillespie's arrival bound to ensure the squad's midfielders will be doing their utmost to stay in the team.[LNB] Cooper says his new signing can play in any midfield position and is pleased to see that, at 35, has lost none of his appetite for the game.[LNB] Gillespie trained with Quakers for a month, while a red-tape wrangle was resolved, before signing from Glentoran, and Cooper said: I think a lot of players when they get to a certain age want an easy ride, but he has shown that he wanted to come here.[LNB] He's still got a lot of fight in him and he is hungry to get into the team, which is what we want. Keith hasn't got loads of years left in his career so he wants to make the most of it.[LNB] He has enjoyed working with us, he likes what we're doing and wants to be part of it. Hopefully he can give us a little bit of know-how and experience.[LNB] On the pitch you don't have to use your experience to just shout and bawl at people.[LNB] You only have to look at how Marc Bridge-Wilkinson has used his experience; he's a calming influence when we're under pressure.[LNB] Keith can get the ball and keep it to take the pressure out of the game instead of panicking, giving the ball away and leaving you to defend again.[LNB] He can make the right decision under pressure.[LNB] Although Gillespie is not guaranteed to start today, Cooper must make at least one change as Aaron Brown is suspended, so misses out on a trip to the club where he played eight games at the end of last season.[LNB] Altering his line-up is something Cooper has done regularly, sticking with the same XI in only four of Quakers' 21 games, and he explained: I'm not one of those who keeps the same team because of the sake of it, just because we've had a few good results.[LNB] Without trying to be clever, if I can improve the team I will, and I think there are areas we can improve.[LNB] You wantplayers on their toes. You don't want too many players in your squad, but you need enough so that the players in the team know that if they don't do enough then they'll be out of the team.[LNB] I mentioned that to the players the other day. If you're in the team, make sure you stay there by working hard. If you're out of the team, work even harder and if you do get selected, make sure you give me something to think about.[LNB] Brown was sent off during last week's 1-1 draw at home to Crawley, so Kevin Austin or Josh Gray, who played there once last season, will replace him.[LNB] No matter who fills in, Cooper says Brown's absence is a blow.[LNB] The suspended left-back will miss only his second match since making his debut on the second Saturday of the season, and Cooper said: We will miss Aaron because he's been consistently one of our best players.[LNB] In his first few games, especially at home, he got dog's abuse from the fans behind me. I can remember saying to them he'll be one of our best players'.[LNB] Luckily enough we've been proved right. Sometimes you've got to give players time. He needed to get match fit, he had to do that while in the team and he's shown what a rally good player he is for our level.[LNB] Wrexham have a good home record, having lost only once, to leaders AFC Wimbledon, at the Racecourse Ground.[LNB] However, Darlington have lost only once away and having won at Wimbledon, who were previously undefeated at home, Cooper's men will not be intimidated.[LNB] Wimbledon had not lost any games so we're not going to go there with any fear, he said.[LNB] I've seen them three times this year and they are very difficult to play against. They beat us at home, so it will be a tough game.[LNB] Cooper has brought in Aman Verma on loan from Leicester to bolster the midfield as Michael Brough has suffered a leg problem and is a doubt today, while Gareth Waite is out through injury.[LNB] Verma came through the Championship club's Academy and has made one senior appearance, as a sub in a League Cup game.[LNB] He spent four months on loan with Crewe in League Two last season and played nine games, including a 1-0 win against Darlington at the Arena. Verma had an eightmatch loan with Conference side Histon towards the end of last season and a brief stint with Kidderminster at the start of the current campaign.[LNB]
