Baird gets Cook in for Christmas

By Adrian Kajumba -

Eastleigh have received a pre-Christmas boost with loanee Steve Cook agreeing to extend his stay at club by another month.

The 18-year-old versatile defender, who arrived at The Silverlake at the end of November, will now remain at Eastleigh, on-loan from League One Brighton, until the end of February.

And with numbers thin on the ground that news was understandably welcome for Eastleigh boss Ian Baird.

"That’s good news for us," he said.

"I think he will go on to have a good pro career if he gets a bit of luck but it’s good for us at the moment.

"And for him to agree to stay for another month he must be enjoying it."

Baird, though, added that "there will be no more ins and outs" and "at this moment in time we are as we are."

And that means Baird will have to steer his side through a hectic Christmas period with a wafer-thin squad of just 16 players and any enforced absence, until the situation changes, will be keenly felt.

Unfortunately that will be the case when they host Basingstoke on Boxing Day (noon) without suspended striker Jamie Brown and also against Bromley next Monday when midfielder Danny Smith is banned.

"We have got to keep everything crossed – our fingers and our legs – that we don’t pick up any more injuries or suspensions," Baird said.

"I do know though that we have got Brett Poate one booking away from suspension and also, I believe Aaron Cook is the same.

"We have just got to get on with it and hope we don’t get any more."

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