ACCRINGTON Stanley boss John Coleman is ready to swoop in the January transfer window.

The Reds manager has got some targets in mind for next month and has singled out a "proven goalscorer" and a couple of players "with flair".

He knows they may cost money but Reds chairman Eric Whalley has said he will try and provide it and the club have launched new initiatives to boost their finances - such as encouraging people to buy weekly draw tickets or buy from the club shop.

The 19th placed Reds are hoping an influx of cash will help them attract more high calibre players to the FES - especially as a Stanley players annual average salary is £27,500 as compared to £53,000 of an average League Two player.

"We are hoping the new initiatives will help us compete with other teams although you have to accept what you have to work with," said Coleman.

"It is difficult when you can't pay high wages but it is not just all about money.

"I don't want players who make money their focal point but want players who have a passion for football and want to play for me and to further their career at Accrington.

"I want players who will go out and die for us.

"I need to sign maybe a proven goalscorer in January and more individual flair to give us another dimension and then push on. I know it will be a scramble as other clubs will want the same but we won't panic buy either. We have got to get the right players to take us forward."

He continued: "This club has kept moving onwards and upwards in the last seven years, and we want to keep it moving in the same direction.

"A lot of the clubs in the North West have stagnated but we have got the momentum now and want to keep driving on."

The club revealed they missed out on a couple of targets by sticking to their budgets.

"We lost a couple of players because of a couple of hundred pounds. It doesn't seem a lot weekly but it adds up over the year," said chairman Eric Whalley.

"It maybe my stubborness but I am running the ship on what we can afford to pay and with the League's wage cap in mind (60 per cent of club's annual turnover which was £670,000 at Stanley last year).

"But we do need more money at the club so we can try and compete on a level playing field.

"We will find some money in January for players no matter what and we are looking at all avenues.

"There will be probably be three or four players leaving so that will free up some wages to pay more for maybe two or three better players.

"And if the Gary Roberts and Ian Craney deals go through, we will invest that money."

The club expect Roberts and Craney to make their loan moves to Ipswich and Swansea permanent in January and Coleman says it is hard seeing his star players leave.

"At this level, what we can't do is offer Gary or Ian the chance to play in front of 20,000 fans," said the Reds boss.

"They are both ambitious and want to do well in their careers and the chances of keeping them are remote. Our job now is to bring players in or develop players and go on again.

"If we can get 18-months-two years out of players, they do well for us and hopefully we will get a bit back as well."

Coleman continued: "Although you don't want to be a selling club, you have to accept that, at this level, clubs will take players off you.

"We want more like Gary and Ian but unfortunately every player you get in is not going to be a diamond.

"You can get stung but Eric, as a former manager, understands this. You may sign them but they may not suit your style of play or be as good as you thought. But there are gems out there and I have to find them again.

"I was at a Sunday League game three weeks ago and, a lot of it isn't the best, but when I was driving home, I was listening to Gary Roberts play for Ipswich against Norwich on the radio.

"Around 18 months ago, I was driving back from the same Sunday League pitch having seen Gary play there. The players are out there."

Coleman admitted he is keen to make the club more attractive to prospective Stanley players by boosting their League Two standing starting against promotion chasers MK Dons tomorrow (Sat).

"My target is to get to 30 points before January," said Coleman whose side are currently on 21points after picking up one point in the last 18. "We have five games before then and we can't bring anyone in so our squad will be tested but if we can get to 30 points, it will give the lads confidence, make us more appealing to other players and give us a push to kick on in the new year."

Stanley are struggling with defender Michael Welch and winger Shaun Whalley suspended tomorrow while Rommy Boco is about three weeks away with his back injury.

But Jay Harris returns from a three-game suspension.

"I am looking forward to playing MK Dons," said Coleman. "It is remarkable when you think abut where they were seven years ago and where we were - we were world's apart. And we don't want to fluff our lines now.

"But we can take a lot of confidence from picking up a point against Shrewsbury on Saturday.

"We didn't look like a team which had lost their last seven games and hopefully if we carry on on the front foot, and keep a clean sheet, our luck might change and we might get that win which is proving to be elusive at the moment."

  • ONE name linked with Stanley is Morecambe winger Michael Twiss, 28, who has scored 10 goals this season is out of contract in the summer at the Conference side.