No Betts On A Reunion

Betts at Yeovil

The 30-year-old full-back, who can operate on both the left and right-hand side of defence, got in touch with Wignall after being released by fellow Division Three side Darlington at the end of the 2002/3 campaign. Betts was told that he would have to take a massive pay cut if he was to re-sign for the Quakers, and decided to look for alternative employment.

It is thought that the player, who had spent three years at Colchester United before Wignall arrived, and continued at Layer Road throughout the Liverpudlian's four-year stint in charge of the U's, racking up 250-odd appearances for the North Essex side, telephoned his old manager in a bid to link up with the Shrimpers. However, the Southend chief was unwilling to offer the five-foot, eight-inch defender a contract and instead Betts, who has spent the past two years at Feethams after spells at Yeovil Town and Scarborough in the Conference, has contacted Phil Parkinson to see if Colchester are once again interested.

If a deal cannot be struck with the U's, the veteran of 389 League, Cup and Conference appearances will seek to move into coaching in the United States. The Middlesbrough-born man has a job lined up in Los Angeles developing the game in the USA.

Robert Craven
www.thelittlegazette.com