SALIM Shariff is confident that Wheatsheaf Dons can re-build in the summer after a season which has put the club on the verge of folding.

Wheatsheaf went unbeaten to win the Premier Division last term but have made a poor start to this season with ex-manager Gary Bradshaw and a number of players leaving the club.

A 2-2 draw with Maidenhead Nomads last Sunday keeps them second in the table, but Shariff insists this campaign is all about a respectable league finish.

The Dons player-manager told the Observer: “We won the league undefeated last season but this year we’ve not made the best of starts. We lost a few players and a couple of games that we shouldn’t have done so Gary stepped down.

“The club is on the brink of folding unless we can get a couple of players to take it more seriously. I’ve been playing for the club since I was 16 and it’s nothing something I’m keen to see happen.

“It has been a real surprise but we’ve been let down by players who won the league last year, so think they’ve done it now.

Slough Observer:

PHOTO: Wheatsheaf Dons are hoping to recruit new players as part of a summer rebuild.

“We’re hoping to finish in a respectable position and not challenge for the league because of the start we had. Our ambition is to rebuild in the summer. We’ve just got to end the season and rebuild in the summer, and I’m confident we can.”

Wheatsheaf recovered from falling two goals behind to draw against Maidenhead with Mark Brereton hitting the back of the net twice at Farnham Park.

“I wish it was a better game,” admitted Shariff. “We made a sloppy start and were two goals down early on.

“It was a typical Sunday league game where we were not prepared enough and come up against a team that arrived early and ready to play “They’re awkward to play. There are no real stars in their team and we brushed them aside before, so a bit of complacency kicked in.

"I always knew we would get something out of the game and we controlled the ball but ran out of time to win. We controlled the final third but the ball would not go in the net.

“Any more time and we would have won, and they were happy to get a point. We definitely deserved to win."