Dwayne Samuels bids to rally AFC Telford troops
Dwayne Samuels wants everyone at AFC Telford United to remain hopeful and stay strong as they head into a huge home game against Gainsborough Trinity.
The 26-year-old full-back rallied his fellow players and the supporters with an apt post on Twitter this week, writes Joe Edwards.
It read: "At the the of the day all you need is hope and strength. Hope that it gets better & strength to hold on until it does. Come on @telfordutd."
It is no secret Telford are struggling on and off-the-pitch – they have not won in four league games and have little funds available to bolster a threadbare squad.
Samuels, a fan favourite, is looking for all at the club to be determined and said: "It's got to a point now where it's all we can do. At the moment every game is massive for us, and Gainsborough is a massive game.
"We haven't been great all season but we haven't been as bad at home."
Telford are 18th in the National League North table – four points above the drop zone – and have won four, drew three, and lost four at the New Bucks Head this season.
They have beaten sides in the top half such as Kidderminster Harriers and Darlington at home, but Samuels knows the key is getting wins against the teams around them – Trinity are one place and two points below.
"We have proved we can beat some of the bigger sides at home and now we need to do it against the teams around us," he said. "That's the disappointing thing for us and why the manager is so annoyed at the moment because we know we can do it.
"The manager is asking questions of us, as he should, and now we have to pull together as a team and as a squad.
"We are the only ones who can get ourselves out of this situation."
Telford lost 3-1 at Gainsborough earlier in the season and are heading into the game on the back of a 3-2 defeat at Alfreton Town.
Trinity have not won in the league since October 29 and Samuels added: "A lot has been said about our squad and its size and of course you would like more substitutes to be there to come on.
"At the end of the day, though, it is 11 versus 11 to start with and it's up to the 11 who start the game to go out and do the club and the fans proud.
"They beat us at their place earlier in the season but Gainsborough are a team we should be beating at home – let's not kid ourselves."
