Ashford intend to keep hold of striker Byron Harrison

Sep 3 2008 By Paul Warburton, Staines News

ASHFORD TOWN believe they will ward off a posse of clubs queuing up for Byron Harrison because their star striker is enjoying his football for the first time in a long while.

Harrison notched goal number six in five games when Town beat Canvey Island to remain top of the Ryman Premier on Saturday. And while a big offer could still tempt the Tangerines, the club's management share The Beatles sentiment that money can't buy you love.

Assistant boss Rory Gleeson insisted there was more to keeping a player than waving a wad of fivers in his face.

He said: "Byron had been around the block a few times before he came here - which tells its own story.

"But you can tell from what he says and does that he's glad to be a part of our set-up.

"He's wanted; he knows it; and he enjoys the atmosphere at Ashford.

"But it's no secret we have to run a tight ship financially.

"We were offered a player from a topfive club in the Ryman Premier last week for half the wages he was on at his own place.

"We didn't fancy him - but had he come he would have been our top wage earner by some way.

"Money can speak. But where you earn it is just as important to part-timers, or else we wouldn't have been able to hang on to the majority of our squad from last season."

Ashford have a chance to put another of the Premier's big noses out of joint on Saturday when they make the trip to Dover Athletic.

The bookies' tip for the title lay second behind Ashford before last night's matches, and when asked what comparisons there were with his own club, Gleeson had a one-word answer.

"None," he said. "They have a full-time manager in Andy Hessenthaler - me and (manager) Mark Butler have to fit football around our day jobs.

"Dover have attendances up to 1,000 - we have a good day when we nudge 300. But on the pitch we should be more than a match for them."

Gleeson reckons the thrill of beating the big spenders has long since evaporated.

He added: "We're deservedly top, and this is just an opportunity for us to show a big crowd of what we're capable of."

* MEANWHILE, boss Mark Butler was named Ryman Premier manager of the month for August.