Second RMI target joins Sandgrounders

By Matt Lawton
February 28 2003

RMI manager Mark Patterson has missed out on another former Football League striker who has instead decided to join Nationwide Conference rivals Southport, following in the footsteps of previous target Paul Wheatcroft.

Former Grimsby Town and Wigan Athletic striker Lee Ashcroft had been rumoured to be on his way to Hilton Park following the departure of Dino Maamria to Conference relegation rivals Stevenage Borough. However, the speculation died down after RMI manager Mark Patterson signed strikers Neil Campbell and Keith Scott from fellow Conference side Scarborough as replacements for Maamria. Many RMI fans however would've liked to see Ashcroft at Hilton Park as he was quite succesful in the first team at the JJB Stadium but fell out of favour with Paul Jewell because of the form of fellow strikers Nathan Ellington and Lee McCulloch, and was released earlier this season.

It is thought that RMI didn't think they could meet Ashcroft's wage demands and the former Grimsby hitman has decided to join Southport in a player-coach position.

It is the second time in a matter of months that Patterson has seen a transfer target turn down a move to Leigh in favour of a transfer to the Lancashire coast. Former Manchester United and Bolton Wanderers striker Paul Wheatcroft looked all set to sign on the dotted line at Hilton Park before the Sangrounders hijacked the move and Wheatcroft instead decided to move to Haig Avenue, where he was apparently offered more money. Wheatcroft paid the price for this decision when he was roundly booed by the RMI faithful when he took to the Hilton Park pitch as a substitute for his new club earlier this month.