Gosney in demand (From Romsey Advertiser)

Gosney in demand

2:02pm Friday 16th March 2012 in Sport By Wendy Gee

AFC Totton winger Mike Gosney is back in hot demand.

Manager Stuart Ritchie has confirmed that two clubs are on the trail of the 24- year-old winger – one of them a former Football League outfit who are due to watch him in action at home to Redditch United tomorrow.

The other interested party – believed to be a Conference South club – have made what Ritchie describes as a “substantial offer” for Gosney.

But the Stags boss says that if the goalsscoring wideman is to leave Totton, it will be for a club that believe in his ability and have “been there, seen it and done it” in the higher echelons of the game.

Last season Gosney went on trial with a host of Football League clubs, including Millwall, Wycombe Wanderers and Reading, but never quite got the break.

Some people have questioned his ambition to go move onwards and upwards, but Ritchie, right, said: “Gos does want to go higher, but he’s not a trialist.

“He’s an established player and he’s proved that.

“He’s come up into the Southern Premier with us this year and he’s grown with it. He’s got better as the season’s gone on and he’s found some real good form again recently.

“He’s the sort of lad that will grow into whatever league you put him in, I’m convinced of that. He didn’t look out of his depth against Bristol Rovers in the FA Cup and he ripped their full-back apart.

“There’s no question in my mind that he could step up two, three or even four levels.

He just needs that break. If it comes it comes, but if it doesn’t he won’t moan about it because he loves this club.

“I’d be very reluctant to hold him back if the right club came in for him, but I know the lad and he’s got to go to a place where he’s fully committed and backed.”

Gosney has missed the last two games with a slight groin problem but should be back tomorrow as the second-placed Stags look to build on last Saturday’s brilliant 1- 0 win at Banbury.

“It’s nothing serious. We left Gos out as a precaution last week and there was no point him playing in the Hampshire Senior Cup on Tuesday,” Ritchie explained.

“The ex-Football League club interested in him have asked if he’s playing tomorrow.

They haven’t made an offer yet, but they’ve enquired through an agent and I think it will progress.

“There may even be interest from one or two other clubs trying to get back into the Football League.”

Jono Davies (knee) and James Coutts (quad muscle) should return to the reckoning tomorrow, while Nathan Campbell and Ryan Moss are expected the shrug off knocks.

Teenager Jack Odam will also be knocking on the door of squad selection after scoring on his debut in Totton’s 2-1 HSC semi-final win at Havant & Waterlooville.

“Jack will definitely be in the 18 and he might even be on the bench,” said Ritchie.

“But we’ll take it steady with him. I’m not one to rush youngsters and force them into things they’re not ready for.”

Redditch are sixth to bottom, but held Totton 0-0 in Worcestershire in November.