Paddy Davitt Fit-again King's Lynn defender Liam Murray is targeting an FA Trophy return this weekend at Whitby. Murray has missed the Unibond Premier Division outfit's last 10 games after breaking his collarbone against North Ferriby.

Paddy Davitt

Fit-again King's Lynn defender Liam Murray is targeting an FA Trophy return this weekend at Whitby.

Murray has missed the Unibond Premier Division outfit's last 10 games after breaking his collarbone against North Ferriby.

The versatile ex-Shrewsbury trainee was set to be out until Christmas but Linnets' player/boss Carl Heggs confirmed the 24-year-old is now back in training after deciding not to undergo surgery.

“Liam trained with us on Thursday and he's doing contact work which is fantastic news,” said Heggs. “He was actually pushing to be involved against Marine but I told him to leave that game and get himself fit for Whitby. He is a good player and a great lad to have back in the squad. Callum (Lloyd) is also only about two weeks away after breaking his foot. They are like two new players coming in for me.”

Heggs has lodged a seven-day approach for Rushall Olympic's powerful midfielder Ramone Stephens but insists Lewis Webb is not heading for the exit after a similar inquiry from current UCL leaders St Neots.

Former Northern Ireland international and now St Neots player/boss Steve Lomas has targeted the ex-Peterborough trainee to bolster his ambitious club's promotion push.

“We've had a seven-dayer from St Neots but he is not going,” said Heggs. “I've spoken to him and I don't think he sees that as a good move for him.

“He's a player I like and if I can I want to negotiate a new deal with him as soon as possible. When you don't have the biggest squad you need a lad like that who can play in different positions.

“We're just waiting for permission to speak to Ramone. He's 23, a central midfielder who is good on the ball, wants to get into the box and scores goals. I'm signing players for �150 a week, not �1,000 a week, and hopefully everyone realises what sort of finances we have to work with.

“The club has given me a budget which is good enough to compete at this level all day long but we're not the biggest by a long stretch. I was speaking to Marine's manager as we left the pitch on Saturday and explaining to him it's hard to attract players because of this perception King's Lynn pay big money. We've got one or two on decent money but maybe with what happened in the past here players still think we pay over the odds.”

Heggs is poised to step up his bid to sign a Conference North targetman this week - but remains confident he has enough attacking ammunition on the books in the short term.

“I think I can still do a good job for 60 or 65 minutes in games,” said Heggs. “I'm still a presence in the air, I can win my headers and flicks and that is how we scored at Marine with me flicking it on for Robbo (Anthony Robinson). If I can be a nuisance then we can throw young Kwesi (Appiah) on who has the makings of being a wonderful little player.

“He carries a different kind of threat with balls down the sides to turn defenders. Unfortunately every time we tried to whack balls into the channels at Marine the wind was so strong it came straight back at us.

“I don't want to keep myself on the pitch any longer than I have to because I don't want to be a liability, but while I feel fresh and the body holds up I can be a threat for an hour or so and then we can bring on Kwesi.”