Holbeach United captain Jamie Stevens could be set for a sensational return to fierce South Holland rivals Spalding United.
The central defender, who has skippered both Holbeach and Spalding to back-to-back UCL Premier Division titles in the past two seasons, is wanted by Pat Rayment.
Stevens, who didn’t wear the armband for the Tigers against Gorleston on Saturday despite being named in the starting line-up, left the Tulips in the summer in favour of a return to Carter’s Park.
However, with Spalding supremo Rayment looking to sort out his defensive problems, the former Boston United ace is now very much top of the Sir Halley Stewart Playing Field wish list.
A coy Rayment said: “We’d like to make it official that we’ve put seven days in for Jamie Stevens today (Tuesday).
“If after the seven days are up he’d like to speak to us, I’d be hopeful that he’d like to come on board.
“He’s a player that I know well and I’d know what I’m getting.
“The goals that we’re conceding in defence are poor. I’ve got to plug up the gaps and I’ll do what I’ve always done as a manager – some players may find themselves moving on.”
Joint Holbeach boss John Chand admits that he’s powerless to stop Stevens from crossing the South Holland divide for the third time in his career.
He added: “We don’t want to lose Jamie, but ultimately it’s up to him.
“If he wants to go to Spalding, it’s his call.”
Rayment always rued losing Stevens in the summer – and bringing him back to the Tulips would be a massive coup for the club.
He formed a formidable defensive partnership with Nathan Stainfield last season as Spalding won the UCL Premier Division at a canter. Equally, losing Stevens would be a big blow to Holbeach’s hopes of success this term.
