SIMPEMBA JOINS SHOTS ON LOAN
Crawley Town defender Ian Simpemba this afternoon joined fellow Conference side Aldershot Town on loan for the rest of the season.

Simpemba has been out of the matchday squad for the Red Devils' last three league matches, during which Chris Giles and Leo Mendy have struck up a strong central defensive partnership.

The former Wycombe Wanderers man joined his hometown side for the start of their first Conference season in 2004-05 and has been captain for much of the last two seasons, lifting the Sussex Senior Cup for the Red Devils last season, when he appeared in 39 of Crawley's 42 league games.

However, his performances this term have not matched the high standard he set previously and boss John Hollins experimented with Simpemba in a midfield role before dropping him from the side.

Earlier reports that the loan deal had gone through last night were inaccurate as the transfer was only finalised at 1.15pm this afternoon.

Simpemba's disciplinary record had become a sticking point. With the defender walking a tightrope on nine cautions – a tenth would earn a two-game ban – Aldershot were concerned that if he also was excluded from playing against Crawley in the forthcoming match on April 15 that Simpemba might only be eligible to play six games for them.

In an effort to again demonstrate his co-operation with his players in the club's difficult current circumstances, Hollins agreed to waive the clause and allow Simpemba to be eligible to play against Crawley in order to allow the deal to proceed.