REDDITCH United's claims in local newspaper articles of underhand dealings by Dave Busst have been rubbished by the Evesham United manager, writes Mervyn Collins.

The stories relate to the loan deal that allowed Jermaine Clarke to move to the Valley Stadium before Christmas when Rod Brown was the Redditch boss.

The agreement suited all parties until Brown was sacked and Gary Wilde stepped into the breach and now the Conference North outfit appear intent on hanging on to the striker who, it is understood, doesn't want to return to Common Road.

"I don't think he will come back," Busst admitted. "As far as we were concerned we were pursuing our own player. Jermaine hasn't come back and we will be taking disciplinary action against him. We tried to get him back last week because the loan form wasn't in place. We are keeping the Football Association informed and all they had to do was talk to us."

Busst revealed that all was well during the first two months after Clarke's move was agreed in October. The loss of Matty Lewis to Hinckley in a similar "contract" wrangle, led to Evesham making Clarke's "top drawer" contract official by registering it on January 2 with the FA, who then recognised it nine days later.

During that period, Wilde wanted Clarke for a further month and Busst takes up the tale.

"I told him that wouldn't be a problem but explained the situation to him and that the Redditch secretary would have to get a loan form agreement signed by our club and that they would pay his wages during this period again," the Evesham chief recalled.

"Wilde agreed to this but the secretary didn't get in touch and, when we saw that Jermaine had played we tried to contact Wilde but he didn't return any calls. He then played the next game and that prompted me to speak to the chairman Pat Cremin, who said that he would inform the club and get back to me, but he never did."

At no time did Evesham inform the FA of the error but, when Clarke played another game, Busst contacted him and told him to return to Evesham because he didn't want him getting into any trouble.

"Gary Wilde should look at himself in the mirror and ask himself could he have avoided all this by doing what he had agreed to do," Busst declared. "If he is saying that there was no contract agreement then why did he ask me how much Evesham wanted for Jermaine when he returned to us after Christmas?"

With Clarke out of the selection equation, Busst will be hoping Shane Benjamin shrugs off a calf strain ahead of Saturday's visit of Cheshunt.

However, the manager isn't so hopeful that Grant Pinkney and Rob Taylor will have shaken off knocks in time for another crucial contest and he is making plans to bring in reinforcements.

Halesowen centre back Stuart Pierpoint could be on board, while Busst is hopeful of securing the services of a Worcester City player before this weekend. Evesham have also put in seven days for Willenhall utility man Phil Male.

"Drawing games is no good," Busst admitted after last Saturday's fourth in five games. "However, it's important not to lose points against the sides around you but we've got a point to prove after losing down there and a win could give us a little breathing space."

Saturday's game (3pm) is sponsored by PJ Nichols of Station Road, Pinvin, and the match ball sponsor is Evesham Mechanical Services of Swan Lane.

Next Thursday, United's youth team are away to Bishop's Cleeve in the Midland Floodlit Youth League Southern Division (7.30pm).