New signing to add physical presence, says Buxton boss Gary Hayward

Described as a powerful midfielder, King has joined the Bucks from BetVictor Southern Premier League Central Division side Hednesford.

He is well-known to Hayward who worked with King at Keys Park where the midfielder won multiple club awards after fighting off relegation.

He was Hayward's Manager’s Player the Season, Players’ Player of the Season and Travel Club Player of the Season in the 2018/19 campaign.

A brief spell at Leamington FC in the National League North followed before Hayward won the race for his signature at the start of the current season.

And now the Buxton manager has persuaded King to join his battle to beat the drop in the Northern Premier League Premier Division at Silverlands.

“He's a very good player and the sort of player I've been looking for since I've come to the club,” Hayward told the Advertiser.

“He was one of the catalysts for staying up at Hednesford last year and had a really good second half to the season.

“He's a physical player who is prepared to battle and is good in both boxes - he won't go under.

“Those are the types of players you need this time of the season as we're getting to the sharp end.”

King began his career at Malvern Town, making his debut for the club aged 16 in 2011/12, and going on to register more than 100 appearances for the club.

He also has experience of the National League South after his move to Gloucester City in 2017/18, where he made 13 appearances.

While Hayward expects to add to his squad further over the coming weeks to strengthen his side's chances of survival.

Those chances were boosted this past week with rock bottom Stafford Rangers losing twice and Grantham Town picking up one point from a possible six.

It means Grantham, third-from-bottom, are two points behind the Bucks, having played the same number of games.

“Everyone's playing catch-up now, trying to fit in games and they've all got to come up to Silverlands,” he said.

“We've got to keep working in every game and if we do that then with a bit of momentum it'll see us get over the line.

“Points on the board are better than games in the bag because you've got to go and win them.

“It's not easy to get the points this time of year with the travelling, the weather and playing two games every week.”

Buxton's own hopes of action away to Radcliffe on Saturday were washed away with Storm Dennis, a waterlogged pitch postponing that match.

Their task doesn't get much harder than this coming weekend when they are scheduled to travel to table-topping South Shields.

“It's not going to be easy for us at South Shields by any stretch of the imagination.

“I class it as a big game because everyone else has got to go there.

“I watched them play Grantham last week and we'll prepare well for it.

“We don't fear anyone.

“We'll go up there with a gameplan and try to execute it the best we can,” he said.Home games to come against Warrington Town on Tuesday 25th February (7.45pm) and Stafford on Saturday 29th February (3pm) before the month is out.