Magnay hoping for transfer breakthrough after Gateshead FA Trophy exit

Carl Magnay has revealed Gateshead are working on three possible new signings - and hope to have at least one completed over the next 48 hours.

The Heed have endured a difficult week after key midfielder Callum Whelan was sold to League Two club Carlisle United and top goalscorer Owen Oseni departed to Scottish Premiership club St Mirren. On-loan Derby County defender Ben Radcliffe also left the Heed as he returned to the Rams before reuniting with former Gateshead boss Rob Elliot at League One club Crawley Town.

There were two further blows for Magnay ahead of Saturday’s FA Trophy fourth round clash with Boston United are defender Joe Grayson and midfielder Tyrell Newton were both forced to miss the tie with injuries. A desperately disappointing performance was punished by the Pilgrims as the Heed’s defence of the FA Trophy came to an end with a 3-1 defeat - but Magnay has confirmed he is now hoping for some more positive news in the transfer market as the potential signing of a striker moves ever closer following ‘positive’ talks on Friday.

He told The Echo: “We had a really positive discussion with a striker yesterday (Friday) and we are hoping that gets done over the next couple of days. We are trying to make the move a permanent one because we only have one loan spot available so the players we are trying to bring in we want to be permanent. Using a loan would max out our loan spots so then we’d have to find free agents, which is difficult. That’s a positive and there are two more possible signings we are currently working on and we hope to get them over the line by the Braintree game next weekend.

Despite being without a number of key players, Magnay was still able to name a strong side to face Boston in a game held at Stockton Town’s Map Group UK Stadium after the pitch at the Heed’s International Stadium was frozen by the wintery conditions. A goal from former South Shields midfielder Will McGowan was not enough for Gateshead to extend their bid for a third consecutive Wembley appearance - and Magnay felt his players were feeling sorry for themselves after a challenging week.

He said: “I still feel we have enough in the building to go and win games at this level and it’s all a mentality thing for them because they have to play with that Gateshead spirit. It was disappointing because there has been clear changes, as there were in January last year, and we’ve lost a couple more through injury. I felt like the players were feeling sorry for themselves, which you can understand to a certain degree but if you go with that mindset at this level, you get punished. The quality suffered as a result of that mindset and there were some harsh words said.”

Gateshead are back in action next Saturday afternoon when National League rivals Braintree Town are the visitors to the International Stadium.