Cheltenham chairman: I'll cough up for Clare - February 2, 2001
Cheltenham Town chairman Paul Baker says he is prepared to dip into his own pocket to bring Irish u21 international striker Daryl Clare to Whaddon Road.
Clare, currently on loan from first division Grimsby, has been impressive in his three starts so far and manager Steve Cotterill - the former Cork City boss - would like to make the move permanent.
Grimsby boss Lennie Lawrence values Clare at somewhere around the £50,000 mark - way below the £200,000 price-tag slapped on the player by Lawrence's predecessor, Alan Buckley.
Baker said: " We're on a very, very tight budget indeed at the moment because we haven't had a home game since we played Hartlepool on January 13. If we do fund Clare, it would have to come from money not normally available to the club.
"But we know what the fee would be - and it is achievable."
Baker acknowledged that the biggest stumbling block might be Clare's wages.
"Unforunately, he is a first division player and we are a third division club," the chairman said.
However, Northampton Town, who have repeatedly tried to buy Clare, are certain to make a fresh bid once they hear how far the price has fallen.