Sibenge signs as Wrens return to action

The Wrens face a difficult return with a trip to resurgent Newcastle Town in a Division One South fixture, but will travel in good heart after catching up on some much needed training ground work in the past couple of weeks.

Their only match in the past three weeks resulted in a 2-0 defeat at Mickleover Sports on Tuesday of last week, but that result was put into some perspective by Sports’ other results this season, and it is apparent that the Wrens are not a million miles from being a side capable of climbing up the table.

That perception can only be enhanced by the signing this week of much-travelled midfielder/striker Henry Sibenge, who helped Mickleover to last season’s Division One South play-off final.

The 31-year-old lists Frickley Athletic, Hucknall Town, Ossett Town, Goole, Scarborough Athletic, Arnold Town, Armthorpe Welfare, Shirebrook Town and Eastwood Town as his former clubs.

He has been playing East Midlands Counties League football so far this season with Kimberley MW until Rainworth offered him the chance to return to the higher level, and he is set to join the squad for Saturday’s trip.

Joint managers Ian Robinson and John Knapper still have a number of other irons in the fire, but Robinson acknowledged the handicap under which he has to work to attract players.

He said: “Of course, it’s difficult when you are working within a tight budget such as ours while local clubs in lower divisions are offering more, and also when you are down at the wrong end of the league table.

“But it’s not an unfamiliar position for me to be in, along with my former managerial partner Gary Sucharewicz we have turned clubs around before, and there is no reason why John (Knapper) and I cannot do that here.

“The type of player we seek to recruit is one whose priority is to test himself at the highest level possible rather than chase the cash at lower levels - it’s difficult, but it’s not impossible, and we continue to try to go on attracting players of the right calibre, such as those we have brought in so far.”