SHAUN Wilkinson returns to Weymouth today from his loan stint at Havant and Waterlooville – but won’t face the Hawks this weekend.
The tough-tackling midfielder is back with the Terras after being shipped out to the Hampshire outfit
following an alleged spitting incident with a Weymouth fan last November.
Boss Steve Johnson today challenged Wilkinson to put that episode behind him now he is back at the Wessex Stadium.
But he said the former Brighton and Hove Albion will have to wait a while for a first team place – meaning he won’t start at Havant and Waterlooville this Saturday.
Johnson said: “Shaun’s loan spell at Havant is now over and he is due to return to training with us at Redlands today.
“Things are very different at the club from when he was last with us and I’ll have to see how he reacts to that before deciding what to do next.
“A lot of players have come and gone in that time and it may be that Shaun will settle in well after his return.
“It’s now up to him to work hard in training and win his place back, but the bottom line is it is up to him.
“If things go well, he has every chance of getting back in the team.
“But if he doesn’t, the consequences of that are pretty obvious.”
Bid
Weymouth officials fined Wilkinson after he allegedly spat at a Terras fan following his side’s FA Trophy exit at Redbridge last November.
The midfielder was loaned out to the Wessex Stadium outfit’s south coast rivals – but the Hawks have decided not to make the move permanent.
And Johnson says Wilkinson won’t be facing his former side at West Leigh Park on Saturday Johnson said: “It’s strange the way things have worked out with Shaun coming back from Havant and us playing them this Saturday.
“But Shaun won’t be involved in that one – he has had a lay-off recently due to sus- pension and is recovering from an ankle injury and the game with Havant has come a bit too soon for him.”
Meanwhile Johnson has dismissed reports linking Weymouth with a failed bid for Tiverton Town striker Jamie Mudge as ‘utter rubbish’.
Former boss Steve Claridge attempted to bring the Ladysmead goalgetter to the Wessex Stadium last year and Johnson admitted he made an inquiry for Mudge earlier this season.
“I spoke to Tiverton about two months ago about Jamie Mudge and inquired what their valuation of the lad was,” he said.
“But I’ve made no bid at any time and to suggest otherwise is wrong.
“I don’t know where these stories come from, the reports are utter rubbish.”
