ANDOVER supremo Ken Cunningham-Brown this week reaffirmed his intention to quit the Jewson Wessex League champions at the end of the season and "move to a bigger club with a better infrastructure."

Rumour has been rife for months that he has been trying to get a foot in the door at Dr Martens Premier strugglers Salisbury City, but that is not the case according to the Whites' director of operations Mark Groves.

"I heard that rumour myself and I laughed," he said. "I haven't spoken to Ken Cunningham-Brown for an awfully long time.

"There's nothing in it. The way this club is run is not going to change. Taffy Richardson and Tommy Killick will remain managers regardless of what happens."

Despite his many successes with Andover, Cunningham-Brown has grown frustrated by the lack of support and sponsorship which has stifled the club's ambitions to progress into the Southern League.

Salisbury's superior status and impressive stadium would doubtless appeal to the wealthy businessman and racehorse trainer, but Groves insisted: "The status quo at Salisbury is being maintained."

The radical changes which swept through Salisbury when their chairman Raymond McEnhill fell seriously ill earlier this year created an air of uncertainty around the club.

But McEnhill has recovered well enough to start attending games again and Groves said: "Ray still views Salisbury as his club, he enjoys coming up to the ground and the situation here will not change.

"We've had approaches from all sorts of people, including high-profile managers with Football League experience, who would like to get involved, but I didn't ask in what capacity because I'm not interested."

Whites, who have picked up just seven from a possible 54 points, will be without club stalwart Roger Emms at Havant & Waterlooville tomorrow.

The towering centre-back has had a minor shoulder operation, but should only miss one game. AFC Bournemouth defender Graeme Mathie is expected to deputise.

Salisbury are still keen to sign Wimborne's Paul Roast, but the defender is reluctant to make a decision until after Magpies' crunch FA Vase tie against holders Taunton Town on December 8.

Havant & Waterlooville may sit 16 places above rock-bottom Salisbury, but the former league leaders are just as desperate for points after a torrid run of three league defeats.

Player/co-manager Liam Daish is fit to return from hamstring trouble and Timmy Hambley is back from suspension having scored twice in a man-of-the-match performance for the DML representative side against an FA XI in midweek.

Newport, up to third-from-bottom of the Premier Division, will be gunning for a third straight win at Folkestone Invicta. If they succeed it would be their first ever victory at Cheriton Road.

The Islanders, who lose defender John Price to a one-match ban, have allowed injury-plagued wing-back Karl Lis to rejoin his old club Gosport Borough after three years on the Island.

Manager Tony Mount explained: "Karl's had a persistent ankle ligament problem and I couldn't see him being fit enough to get back into the side.

"The Wessex League may suit him more because the demands are much less than in the DML Premier."

l Basingstoke Town boss Ernie Howe has not yet abandoned hope of signing wing-back Tyronne Bowers from Salisbury City.

Although the part-exchange deal that would have taken striker Tim Sills in the opposite direction has fallen through, Howe is still desperate to replace the injured Steve Baker and said: "If I could drum up enough cash to buy Tyronne I would."

Stoke, away to Purfleet in the Ryman Premier Division tomorrow, could raise some extra funds with a sale or two in the next few days.

Another offer has come in for Sills and there is interest too in transfer-listed former Bath City duo Mike Davis and Jimmy Fraser.

Winger Lee Chudy has been released from the Camrose Ground and is tipped to join Staines Town.