Elgin City pull out of Aberdeenshire Shield due to player shortage crisis as manager Barry Smith scours the country for free agents to add to squad of just 14 fit players for Saturday's League 2 clash with Stenhousemuir
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Depleted numbers have forced Elgin City to pull out of a cup competition and prepare for a vital league match with just 14 players - including two goalkeepers.
Manager Barry Smith has been scouring the country for free agents or trialist options to bolster his numbers for Saturday's home match against Stenhousemuir.
But the former Dundee boss is remaining upbeat and insists his remaining players will dig deep for the cause in an effort to get a much-needed result.
City have forfeited Wednesday's Aberdeenshire Shield tie at Keith as they would not be able to name 11 players for the match and fear getting more injuries.
Smith said it was unlikely he would be able to land any new recruits ahead of Saturday's match, and is likely to list 14 fit players including both goalkeepers.
"We are trying to get players in," he said. "It would obviously have to be free agents or guys that are happy to be a trialist, so it's not easy.
"We have spoken to a couple but nothing has come up as of yet. I would say there's only a slight possibility of getting someone in."
City currently have Matty Jamieson, Mitch Taylor, Ben Barron, Aidan Cruickshank and Russell Dingwall out injured.
They also have five players out on loan, who if they recalled to relieve their injury crisis would not then be able to farm out again until the next transfer window.
Club captain Matthew Cooper has missed the bulk of this season through a combination of injury and suspension, but if he comes through training unscathed this week he will be pressed into duty as one of the 14 available players.
The Black and Whites would have been without south-based players Jake Dolzanski and Kyle King, as well as Aberdeen loan duo Liam Harvey and Blair McKenzie for the Keith cup-tie, reducing their numbers even further.
Smith added: "These are the times when you have to dig deep and that's what we will do at the weekend.
"We can sit and moan about it or get on with it.
"We've got to try and be as positive as we can within the difficult situation that we are in that the moment."
Smith referred to a similar injury crisis at Caley Thistle last season, when the SPFL would not allow them to postpone a match when they struggled to field a team for a Championship match.
"They are basing it on Caley Thistle last season who had one on the bench at one time and they were not allowed to bring anybody else in.
"We've got four or five boys out on loan but we are not even allowed to recall them because it is outside the transfer window.
"If we recall them, they can't play so its pointless really."
Elgin slipped to the bottom of League 2 last Saturday following a 6-0 defeat at Peterhead.
