King’s Lynn boss unleashes rant at club’s full time status in defence of own players

King’s Lynn Town boss Tommy Widdrington unleashes a rant at his club’s full time status whilst in defence of his own players.

The pressure is well and truly on the Linnets, sitting 22nd in the National League table and looking at a serious relegation battle unless they can perform a miracle.

The Norfolk outfit have only picked up 18 points from 31 games, and are 13 points from safety, with 13 games remaining for the 2021/22 season.

Lynn News report that Tommy Widdrington, who was appointed in December, feels King’s Lynn Town have been found wanting as a full-time football club going into Saturday’s game at home to 11th place Torquay, with attendances below a thousand as fans lost patience.

“This club will not be relegated because of tactics and shape or anything like that, it will be because they are not good enough footballers and physicality and fitness are part of that,” he said after the 0-0 midweek draw at home to Woking.

“People look from the outside and think that we’re a full-time club, but the footballers are kidding themselves if they all think that.

“They don’t look like full-time footballers and can’t play 90 minutes like full-time footballers, so until we improve the infrastructure behind that and give them the platform to train and physically prepare like a full-time footballer, I won’t be calling them that.

“I know they are capable of doing what I ask them to do, but have we found that winning formula?

“If we did then somebody in that six-yard box would have been busting a gut or breaking their nose or somebody else’s nose to get in and score that goal.

“I know where our issues are but I can’t fault the players for their effort or application.”

On the game against Woking, he added: “The timing of the moments that came, possibly came to the wrong people who aren’t quite at the level or they came to people who in my opinion can play great for 45 minutes but then fall out a little bit because of their fitness levels and physicality.

“That’s where Woking were better than us as they were physically stronger and faster and we didn’t have anybody other than Josh Coulson who dominated their individual battles, but that’s because he’s played 500 games in the Football League.”

Widdrington hit out at his club’s previous coaching regime, blaming that for the reason behind why the club find themselves struggling to stay in the division.

“If you want to drive to Glasgow you don’t put £20 in your car, you put £120 in it these days,” he said.

“That’s the best analogy I can give you. There has not been enough ground work done to class this group as full-time, both physically and mentally preparing these players who have not played at this level in their lives, some of them.”

The manager still believes they are capable of staying up, however anything other than a win against Torquay will be viewed as another let down and questions raised on when the next win will come, something they haven’t done since the 5th if February against Weymouth – eight games ago.

Woking: 13 Craig Ross, 3 Josh Casey, 4 Tom Champion, 6 Moussa Diarra, 8 Solomon Nwaboukei, 9 Inih Effiong, 10 Max Kretzschmar (17 Allarakhia 68’), 11 Tyreke Johnson (7 Loza 62’), 18 Nicke Kabamba, 22 David Longe-King, 27 Oliver Pendlebury

Unused subs: 1 Mark Smith, 5 Joe McNerney, 14 George Oakley

Bookings: Pendlebury 90+2’

King’s Lynn 1 Paul Jones, 2 Luis Fernandez, 3 Tyler Denton, 16 Brett McGavin (18 Munashe Sundire 71’), 26 Cameron Hargreaves, 30 Josh Coulson, 8 Jak Hickman, 7 Michael Clunan, 9 Gold Omotayo, 14 Malachi Linton (19 Ken Charles 87’), 20 Josh Barrett

Unused subs: 6 Daniel Bowry, 17 Aaron Jones, 28 Zain Walker

Bookings: Denton 8’

Referee: Jacob Miles

Attendance: 703 (50 away fans)

KING’S LYNN – REMAINING FIXTURES

Sat 12 Mar (H) Torquay United – National League – 3pm
Sat 19 Mar (A) Aldershot Town – National League – 3pm
Tue 22 Mar (H) Stockport County – National League – 7.45pm
Sat 26 Mar (H) FC Halifax Town – National League – 3pm
Sat 2 Apr (A) Dover Athletic – National League – 3pm
Tue 5 Apr (H) Bromley – National League – 7.45pm
Sat 9 Apr (H) Yeovil Town – National League – 3pm
Fri 15 Apr (A) Notts County – National League – 3pm
Mon 18 Apr (H) Grimsby Town – National League – 3pm
Sat 23 Apr (A) Dagenham & Redbridge – National League – 3pm
Sat 30 Apr (H) Eastleigh – National League – 3pm
Mon 2 May (A) Woking – National League – 3pm
Sat 7 May (A) Wealdstone – National League – 3pm