AFC Telford nursing Mat Bailey back to fitness
AFC Telford United are nursing much-travelled utility man Mat Bailey back to full fitness and could then offer him a contract to stay at the New Bucks Head.
The towering 6ft 7in player, who can play in defence or attack, is on the road to recovery from a cruciate ligament injury suffered at this last club, Nantwich.
The 27-year-old is without terms but posed for Telford's team photograph this week and is rehabilitating with the Bucks, indicating he is part of their plans.
Bailey is a long way off playing again but has been told by his specialist this week that his knee is healing well, so he is hopeful of making a full recovery.
He has served the likes of Scunthorpe, Crewe and Hereford after starting out at Stockport before drifting around non-league. Telford would be his 13th club.
Bucks manager Liam Watson had Bailey under his wing when he took him to Southport on loan from Crewe in 2006 and feels he could be an asset to the team.
Watson said: "Mat is not going to anywhere near ready to play for at least six weeks, then he needs games and he will need, at least, 10 coming back from a cruciate.
"We have certainly stuck our colours to the mast and he's part of the group of players we have, but there's no financial commitment to him at present.
"He knows where I am coming from, because he was in the team photograph. And our physio, Chris Roberts, has been helping to rehabilitating him.
"He's a good lad and played for me before at Southport, I know what I will get from him but we have got to get him back fit first."
