Salisbury FC boss Steve Claridge looks ahead to the clubs first pre-season friendly of the year against former club Portsmouth, as a player and manager.

Salisbury do not have a striker in the squad to face newly promoted Portsmouth, as players are still on holiday because the fixture was arranged reasonably late, but the club were in no position to turn down a friendly against the South Coast side.

Claridge has said if he has to “go up there and have a run around” he will, he told JournalSport: “I’m desperately searching for someone else but, but I just seem to be running up blind alleys.

“We just can’t seem to get anyone in.”

He added that he even asked back former Whites striker Tommy Wright as well as trying to get some loan players in, but said we just can’t do it.

Eddie Perrett and Kane O’Keefe both could have played up there said Claridge but are both away.

The Whites boss has a few trialists that will be playing on Saturday, with a left winger, central midfielder and centre back but doesn’t want to play them out of position as he wants to see them at their best.

So that leaves the 51-year-old manger with limited options and said: “If I’ve got to go up there and have a run around I will, there sensible there not going to kick me and be stupid.”

Adding: “My kids have never seen me play so it’s the first time they’ve ever come to a game of football.

“So that will be nice for them to see me before I disappear into oblivion, so to speak.”

There will be changes made during the game, and the former Pompey player said there will be a first 11 then, but then plenty of youth and U23 players will get minutes.

Salisbury’s strongest area for Saturday’s game will be in midfield, Claridge said: “We’ve got lots of midfielders.

“But defensively we are going to have to mix and match.

“Not everybody will be playing where you’d expect them to be.”

Claridge has said the game is being played a bit earlier than both clubs would have liked but said: “We weren’t going to turn it down.

Adding: “I’m really pleased that Paul Cook gave it to us.”

Salisbury’s game against Portsmouth is on Saturday, July 1 (3pm), and should not be missed, given that Claridge will be putting his boots and making an appearance on the pitch Tickets are still available online via the club website or can be purchased on the day at the turnstile.