Woking v FC Halifax Town: It’s not Championship Manager, deals take time, says Pete Wild

Helped by last week’s free weekend, Matty Brown returns to the squad along with namesakes Cameron and Jeff King. Fit-again striker Jack Redshaw is also pushing for a start.

Wild had been hoping to make some signings this week, but has been hampered by his inability to move players out on loan. “I’ve got a lot of decisions to make, probably the most since I started,” he said of his team selection. “I’ve got some players to sit down and have a chat with around maybe sending them out on loan.

“It depends how quickly I can get people out on loan and how quickly I can then secure the services of other people.

“These things take time, we’re not playing Championship Manager here, you’ve got to do these deals appropriately with clubs and make sure you do things right.”

Cameron King has not played since the defeat at Boreham Wood in mid-October, the first of four in a row. Brown has been out since late August.

Redshaw came off the bench in Halifax’s last game, a 4-2 defeat at home to Torquay United, for his first appearance since 2018.

The 28-year-old initially suffered a groin injury, then underwent surgery on his knee and his hip.

“I’ve got to be careful, and make sure he’s ready for what comes with this league,” said Wild.

“Is too soon for him to be starting? I need to make that decision.”

It has been a tough time for Redshaw, who came through the youth system at Manchester City.

“It’s not nice being injured,” he reflected. “Mentally it is tough, you feel like you’re not part of the team, you’re just stuck in the gym, in the treatment room.

“When you come out of the other side, like I have now, you feel so much mentally stronger.”

Despite their recent form, victory could send the Shaymen top of the Conference if Harrogate Town can take points from Bromley and Yeovil are unable to overcome a Dover Athletic side who knocked Southend United out of the FA Cup at the weekend.

“We understand we’ve had a difficult time of things recently, and we’re all keen to put it right and to stay where we are in the league or even better,” explained Wild.

“All things considered it’s been an excellent start. I will keep saying it, that when we walked through the door (in the summer) we were nailed-on relegation favourites.

“We’ve had some indifferent results but so does every team, unless you’re Liverpool” he added.

Newly-promoted Woking unexpectedly won seven of their first eight matches this season, but their 3-1 victory at Stockport County on November 2 ended a sequence of 13 matches without. They will have been frustrated not to have played since, and sit ninth in the table.

It is 16 matches since they last kept a clean sheet, but Jake Hyde has nine goals from 17 league appearances.