Mark Goldfinch has admitted he nearly hung up his boots earlier this season as chaos appeared to reign at Ipswich Wanderers for a while.

The Humber Doucy Lane-based outfit announced in November that their players, including experienced defender ‘Goldie’, would have to play the rest of the season without payment due to the club’s financial issues – with then-boss Mark Benterman leaving.

It was a difficult time for all involved at the club.

Fortunately, Goldfinch, along with fellow Wanderers players Danny Thrower and James Buckle stepped forward to take charge.

Things have steadily improved on and off the pitch – even Thurlow Nunn Premier Division leaders Felixstowe & Walton were beaten at The Doucy in a league clash on Boxing Day.

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Wanderers league position remains pretty desperate (second bottom, with just three wins all season), with the Thurlow Nunn League understanding from the FA that a maximum of four teams are likely to get relegated.

“We are where we are an although we haven’t given up yet, we know with perhaps four teams going down, it will not be easy to stay up,” Goldfinch said.

“Then again, two or three wins on the bounce, you never know.

“Things are certainly picking up.

“I must admit I thought about hanging my boots up when things were all going wrong.

“But there is a buzz around the dressing room again now, in the clubhouse.

“We had 24 people at training the other night and we have players interested in next season.

“Me, Danny and James are looking at things as an 18-month project.

“It’s slowly improving.”

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Wanderers travel to Stanway this weekend with only that Felixstowe & Walton result to show as a league victory in recent times. Their last league win before that was in September.

“We played Stanway a few weeks ago and they beat us 1-0,” Goldfinch said.

“They are a good side, but we have matches coming up we can win and we must believe we can.”

In Thurlow One, leaders Swaffham and third-placed Framlingham clash in Norfolk, Whitton travel to Wisbech, Woodbridge to King’s Lynn Res.