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Archived News from July 2003

FITZROY: I CAN DO A JOB FOR STAGS
11th July 2003 23:49


FITZROY: I CAN DO A JOB FOR STAGS
BY IAN WILKERSON, Evening Post, 08 July 2003

Jamaican international Fitzroy Simpson believes he has plenty to offer Mansfield Town after joining Keith Curle's squad for training yesterday.

The 33-year-old, who lists Swindon Town, Manchester City and Portsmouth among his former clubs, was released from First Division Walsall at the end of last season. He has taken up Curle's invitation to train and hopes to impress his former Maine Road team-mate.

He said: "I have been out of contract since I left Walsall at the end of the season and I have been invited up by Keith to come training for a week so we shall see how it goes and take it from there.

"I was without a club last year before I went back to Walsall and the lesson I have learned is you have to get a competitive pre-season under your belt.

"I have been training in the gym twice a day for the last week but it is not ideal.

"I did have an agreement with Walsall that I would get a new contract if they stayed in the First Division. But Colin Lee was very honest with me and said, because I was commuting from my home in Swindon, it wasn't going to be that good because I would have to take less money.

"With Keith it will be a different relationship than we had before.

"We were team-mates at City and got on well but he could move from being a social friend of mine to my new Gaffer."

Simpson, who is still a regular in the Reggae Boyz squad, having represented his country at the 1998 World Cup Finals, said he had to be proactive in finding a new club and wants to settle his future as quickly as possible.

"It is a difficult time but there was no way I was going to just sit in my house and wait for the phone to ring," he said.

"I had to get out and do some training but who knows what will happen.

"Obviously, I am anxious to sort something out as soon as possible and I still think I have got plenty to offer.

"I am still only 33 and I want to continue playing for at least another three or four years."

After one day, he was impressed with the spirit in the dressing room and believes the camaraderie among Keith Curle's young squad will stand them in good stead for the future.

He said: "There is a great dressing room banter and that is exactly what you need if you are at a small club when there is not a lot of money about.

"It is a very young team and perhaps I can add a bit of experience. But they have got plenty of youthful enthusiasm and that is a great asset.

"So far, I have enjoyed training and I am sure I will sit down with Keith at the end of the week and see where we go from here."

 

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