AFC Telford boss fires back at Jamie Hand

The 29-year-old raised the ire of the gaffer at the New Bucks Head with comments made to the Manchester Evening News last week when asked about Telford as a promotion favourite.

Hand said: "No disrespect to Telford but there is a right way to play and, if you do that over the course of the season, the cream will rise to the top.

"They play a more rugby style, we play football and I would rather play for Stockport County than Telford United."

Watson retorted by revealing that Hand could have signed for Telford this summer, holding talks with the player after being made aware he was interested in a move.

Hand's comments ended up as a laughing stock in Shropshire by full-time on Saturday, after the Bucks had ground out a 2-1 victory at home to Workington.

Stockport, a former Football League outfit much-fancied for promotion, were surprisingly beaten 4-1 at home to Boston, Telford's hosts tomorrow night.

Watson said: "Stockport are certainly fancied by themselves, I saw Jamie Hand has made a few comments about AFC Telford which I find bizarre, because I don't think he has ever seen us play.

"When I read what he said I started laughing, to be honest. I took it as a complement, if he's calling us a rugby team he must be worried about us a touch.

"I find it quite weird that he's making negative comments about Telford when he's spent most of the summer trying to get people to ring me about taking him here.

"I spoke to him over the summer. There's no need for it."

Watson also revealed Telford midfielder Jake Bennett, 17, has gone on trials with the England Colleges team this week before joining Chasetown on a rolling month-to-month youth loan.

The Telford-born teenager, the cousin of Norwich midfielder Elliott Bennett and Doncaster's Kyle, has been watched by Craig Harris' Evo-Stik Northern Premier League First Division One South side.

Watson said: "Jake is going on England College trials this week, so it looks like it will happen next week. It looks like he's going to Chasetown.

"He needs to play games, Craig Harris had asked me about players who weren't going to start the season and whether we would loan them out, he knows of Jake and has seen him a bit of him, too.

"He will learn more playing games there than he will sitting in the stands here."