Thaw can’t come quick enough for Greenidge

Non-league football: FIT-AGAIN Chadderton captain Ben Greenidge is ready and raring to go — but all he wants is the weather to release its icy grip.

Like the rest of the non-league playing fraternity, the 26-year-old defender has had to sit and suffer as fixture after fixture falls victim to the big freeze.

But Greenidge is more eager than most to return to action after recovering from an ankle injury.

He said: “ I can keep up with everybody in training, but I need time in the middle. It’s only then that I’ll know where I am fitness-wise.

“With the weather how it’s been over the last four weeks, I suppose we’re all in the same boat. I may feel sharp now, but I can’t tell until I get into a game.

“We’ve been doing shuttles and playing five-a-side in training, which is alright for a week or two, but that’s getting a bit boring now.

“It isn’t as though we can go out for a good, long run, because the roads and pavements are too slippery and someone could get injured.

“We’re training at the ground tomorrow night, but I don’t know what the manager (Paul Buckley) has got in mind.”

Chadderton will have plenty of catching up to do when they finally resume their Vodkat North-West Counties League programme.

The Broadway outfit have played only two matches since the end of October, so they will have lots of opportunities to climb away from the lower reaches of the division one table.

Greenidge, for one, is looking for Chadderton to hit the ground running when they get under way again.

He said: “We were playing okay but not getting the three points. I don’t think it’s a confidence thing. Every time we pull on the Chadderton jersey, we believe we can win.

“We’ve got to take our chances when we are on top in games. That’s the key.”

Chadderton entertain basement boys Rochdale Town on Saturday, while local rivals Oldham Boro face a trip to runaway leaders Stone Dominoes.


MOSSLEY, from UniBond League division one north, are away to Glossop North End in the Manchester Premier Cup tomorrow night (kick-off 7.45pm).

But the second-round tie is in doubt as the Surrey Street ground is under several inches of snow.