Carl is Bret-er off at Retford

CARL HASLAM has attracted a torrent of interest from across the East Midlands football fraternity as he continues to play the starring role in Retford United's push for the Northern Counties East League Premier Division title.

Haslam is the joint-second top goalscorer in the division this season, with 18 goals in all competitions to his name. And his lethal form has most recently attracted the gaze of Scarborough Athletic, according to Badgers boss Brett Marshall.

Marshall is well aware of his protégé's talents and accepts any club who faces Haslam is likely to take a shining to the 28-year-old. But as of yet, there remains only two clubs who have made their interest official.

"Scarborough have essentially put out an SOS call for Carl (Haslam) across their website and several other forums on the web," revealed Marshall.

"Of course every club that comes up against us and sees him play, fancies their chances of prising him away, but Carl can be a difficult player to manage.

"At the end of the day, we have had nothing official through from Scarborough, and have only had seven-day approaches from Stamford (Evo-Stik League First Division South) and Gresley (Midland Alliance)."

Scarborough are the only side with a better record than United this season and currently top the table on goal difference.

Their manager Rudy Funk has managed opposite Marshall for several years, with the pair facing off at Rainworth Miners Welfare and Southwell City respectively, in previous years.

Marshall has refused to definitively associate Funk with the online courting of Haslam, but does believe his star striker will stay on at Cannon Park and continue the pair's long-standing relationship as player and manager.

"He is a loose cannon and I know that not many would be able to motivate and manage Carl in the right way," he added. "It is something which took me between a year and 18 months to get right.

"Carl isn't a money-driven individual; he has been made offers which equate to five times the value he receives in bonuses from Retford, and he isn't remotely interested in them.

"I believe he wants to stay out of loyalty to me. I have put a lot of time and effort into Carl as a footballer and I think he recognises that.

"I wouldn't want to say Rudy was behind the internet rumours and posts surrounding the Scarborough interest, but I will say that some managers have a tendency to work in different ways in their pursuits to the rest of us.

"At the end of the day, I want Carl Haslam at Retford United and I want to keep hold of the man we call our 'pink-haired Jedward.'"

Haslam and his team-mates travel to Liversedge this Saturday ahead of a double-header with the West Yorkshire outfit.

And after coming out on top in their last two away matches, Retford have amassed an identical points total to Scarborough and seem destined to achieve Marshall's aim for the end of 2011. But, he also warned against complacency from his squad.

"My aim for the end of 2011 was to have the club within striking distance of the league leaders. And as we look set to achieve that aim we can be sure to have an eventful 2012 ahead of us," said the Cannon Park boss.

"We have a couple of winnable matches against Liversedge, while Scarborough have got some very tough matches against the league's in-form side, Barton."

"You can take nothing for granted in this division though, and despite our position now, I know things can change rapidly.

"Just look at Staveley, who were leading the table a few weeks back and are now chasing things having struggled with a few of their games."