Striker on trial with Farnborough

ST ALBANS City boss David Howell insists any club wanting to poach striker Inih Effiong from Saints will have to pay a fee befitting the player’s status at the club.

The 19-year-old forward scored 15 goals last season to finish as the club’s top scorer and in the process attract the interest of a number of clubs, with Conference South side Farnborough currently understood to be the front runners in the race for Effiong’s signature.

The striker appeared for Boro during their 1-1 draw with Didcot on Saturday but Howell insists he will only join Garry Haylock’s side if the club’s can agree an acceptable fee and sell-on clause.

“He’s made up his mind he wants to leave the club which is fine if that’s what he wants to do,” explained Howell.

“Initially he was difficult but now I think he’s come round. He’s having a little trial period at Farnborough, we’ve provisionally discussed a fee for him because he’s still on contract and if Farnborough meet that fee - and we’re also looking for a sell-on - then the chairman Ian Ridley and their chairman can thrash that out and he’ll become a Farnborough player and I’d wish him well.

“If he doesn’t it won’t be for us trying to stop him or hinder his progress; I try to be fair to Inih and try to make him conduct himself in the right manner.

“There has been other interest, Boreham Wood have shown an interest in him as well and I had a call today from Braintree; Alan Devonshire’s also interested in looking at him so from my perspective clubs are interested and if he wants to go to them and play then that’s fine but we have to get compensated for him.