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Reece Connolly in action for Farnborough
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Goal ace Connolly locked in transfer tug-of-war

By Jon Couch
November 29, 2012

DEFIANT Spencer Day has been locked in a war of words in a bitter dispute over the future of much-wanted striker Reece Connolly.

The Farnborough boss has been put under pressure to release the on-loan front man from his contract in order to allow league rivals Eastleigh to complete a five-figure transfer deal from Aldershot Town.

But with two interested parties in advanced talks to buy the Cherrywood Road club, owner/manager Day remains hopeful that he can complete a permanent deal himself to land the 20-year-old marksman, who has indicated he wants to stay at Boro permanently.

Free-scoring Connolly has proved a massive hit in his second loan spell at Farnborough, scoring nine goals in 11 starts to propel the club into the Blue Square South play-off picture.

Indeed, his form has alerted the attentions of rivals Eastleigh and this week the big-spending Spitfires had a bid to sign the 6ft-tall striker, believed to be in the region of an initial £12,000, accepted by League Two Shots.

Connolly is under contract to remain on loan at Farnborough until December 12 and with no release clause set in that contract, the club is under no legal obligation to end the agreement.

Both Eastleigh boss Richard Hill and Aldershot want Day to release the player in order for the deal to go ahead, but the determined Farnborough board of directors are digging their heels in to keep hold Connolly while takeover talks continue.

Day blasted: “We paid a substantial fee to get Reece Connolly on a loan contract here until December 12, so why should we then be pushed into releasing him just so Eastleigh can sign him?

"We may not have any money but we are not going to roll over and be bullied, we are determined to protect this club’s assets and help it survive, not give them away under pressure.

“We are in advanced stages of due diligence with two qualified buyers and we expect that process to be completed in the next couple of weeks.

"Both buyers have agreed that if they were to have a bid for the football club accepted then they would sanction a deal to get Reece Connolly here permanently.

“We have an important game at Bromley coming up next Saturday and I can’t afford not to have Reece in that squad.”

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