Pay rumours rubbished as Pike look to cash in

A lack of games over the festive period led to players receiving their wages a fortnight later than scheduled.

But with all at the Privett Park club fully paid up, boss Pike has slammed social media attempts to ‘derail the Gosport Borough locomotive’.

He said: ‘It is just rumour.

‘I have been in football long enough to know it is utter rubbish.

‘It always seems to happen around this time of the year when we get into a strong position that people try to undermine us.

‘We had a lack of games over the Christmas period and the players were two weeks behind, but that has been settled.

‘All of the players have been paid.

‘We had certain sponsors and gate-money revenue denied to us because of cancelled games.

‘It is always going to be a juggling act at this level but all of the players have been paid.

‘There is never anything sinister.

‘I am not going to have people try to make something up and derail the Gosport Borough locomotive – it ain’t going to happen.’

Pike has instead turned his attention to tomorrow’s National League South home encounter with Maidenhead United (3pm).

High-flying Borough go into the game on the back of an impressive 3-1 win over Eastbourne on Tuesday night.

But the fourth-placed hosts will not be taking their visitors lightly – despite a run of seven league games without victory for the Berkshire club.

Pike said: ‘They have got some very good players in Dave Tarpey, Ben Wright, Dean Inman and Alan Massey – the names roll off the tongue.

‘They also have a good manager in Alan Devonshire who knows this level and the level beyond.

‘Any game in this league is tough so you can’t read anything into their form.

‘All I can do is affect Gosport Borough Football Club and the way we want to play.

‘If I get the mindset of my players right and they stick to the game plan, we are a hard team to beat.

‘But, like I said to the players, I don’t want to look at one win in isolation – we need to go on a run.

‘Any team that wants to stay in the top five has to be consistent and go on a run.

‘That is what we will be aiming to do.’

Borough announced the departures of striker Jamie White and defender Elliot Wheeler this week.

Pike added: ‘Both players weren’t in my starting XI.

‘Elliot asked in the right manner if he could be released and I respected the player’s wishes.

‘As part of our conversation, he has now agreed not to play in the National League South for anyone else.

‘I was hoping for the Jamie White who was the top scorer in this division three seasons ago.

‘It wasn’t to be but I believe Steve Claridge at Salisbury will now get the best out of him – it was a deal we couldn’t turn down really.’