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Nottingham Post
Nottingham Post
Sport
Oliver King

Junior Morias signing clear statement of intent, says Notts County boss

With just eight games remaining of the National League season, Luke Williams has explained the signing of Junior Morias is a clear intention of ending their four-year stay in the fifth tier.

The Magpies announced the signing of the Dagenham and Redbridge striker on Wednesday afternoon to further bolster their attacking options alongside Connor Lemonheigh-Evans and Jodi Jones.

The Jamaican-born forward penned a three-year deal at Meadow Lane, with the Notts boss reiterating that his arrival is no short-term fix and very much part of the club's long-term future.

READ MORE: Frank Vincent relishing Notts County opportunity as Adam Chicksen influence outlined

While adding new players into the squad could potentially disrupt the harmony of this current group of players at this late stage of the season, Williams felt as though attacking reinforcements were needed to combat every eventuality in the closing weeks of the campaign.

"Absolutely, I think it is about doubling down and making sure that we are ready for anything that could potentially come our way.

"Players, unfortunately, can pick up an injury or can be suspended and of course, we have had for example with Cedwyn, unforeseen in picking up an injury then it breaks down again just at the moment he is arriving back for training.

"Then we suffer with Sam Slocombe and Aden Baldwin picked up a suspension so all of these things we are no doubling down to try to be at full power for as many games as possible during this run-up."

Morias arrives at the club carrying a minor injury that will rule him out of making his debut away to Barnet this weekend, while Sam Slocombe will also miss the trip to the capital as he continues his rehabilitation after picking up an issue in training ahead of Notts' 1-1 draw with Bromley.

And further news emerged ahead of the Magpies' home fixture against Scunthorpe a week on Saturday, with two players confirmed they will be absent for the visit of Jimmy Dean's side.

Tiernan Brooks received a call-up for the Republic of Ireland's under-21's side for their upcoming friendly with Iceland along with Jones who will represent Malta for their Euro 2024 qualifiers against North Macedonia and Italy next week.

With the Notts boss not wanting to put a timescale on Slocombe's return to the side, he was confident that Norwich City loanee Archie Mair would be ready if called upon amid fears of rushing Notts' number one back to the starting line-up and losing him for a prolonged amount of time at this crucial stage of the season.

"It's a problem," Williams explained. "We have to make sure that we are convinced that Sam is right - he is doing brilliantly and doing very well with his rehabilitation.

"But let's not forget that Archie (Mair) is a fantastic goalkeeper, and the decision to put Tiernan in was a tough one because Archie is so good - he is ready and is desperate to play.

"He is very disappointed with me for not picking him, but he has dealt with that by training brilliantly and putting me under huge pressure to say that he is ready.

"But we know what we have with Sam and if we are convinced he is ready, of course we know how reliable he is and what a brilliant guy he is, we are comfortable and we know we have good options there."

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