TAFFY Richardson is in danger of being stripped of the Lymington & New Milton captaincy after hinting that he would like to join Newport IoW next season.

Richardson, pictured above, who is tipped to join the Islanders as right-hand man to Steve Tate, said in Saturday's Pink that he was missing the professionalism of Southern League football.

That has not gone down well with Linnets boss Graham Kemp who said: "Taffy talks about professionalism, but I don't think it's very professional for our skipper to say in the paper that he doesn't want to be here next season.

"It doesn't look good for the other players to read and I may well take the captaincy off him for that."

When Newport's interest in Richardson became common knowledge last month, Kemp says he and Linnets chairman Charlie Hewlett sat down with him to discuss his future.

Thirty-six-year-old Richardson is under contract at Fawcett's Field until the end of the season, but Kemp revealed: "We told Taffy that if he wanted to go, he could, but he chose to stay and said he wanted to try and beat Eastleigh twice and see if we could win the title.

"I don't want anyone staying here for personal reasons, I want them here because they want to play for this club.

"Whatever anyone else says, we've honoured every penny of Taffy's contract and he won't leave now until I say so. He will see his contract out unless we get an offer that's acceptable to us.

"If Newport want him that desperately, then why don't they put an offer in?"

The good news for the Linnets is that midfielder Liam Green is staying for the rest of the season after a breakdown in talks with Ryman Premier Division outfit Basingstoke Town.

The 21-year-old, who is also interesting Reading and AFC Bournemouth, said he didn't want to switch clubs halfway through the season but would be happy to join Stoke for pre-season training.

But that was no use to Camrose boss Ernie Howe who has been crying out for a left-sided midfielder since Max Rooke, left to coach in America.

Kemp confirmed: "Liam's staying with us until the end of the season and there's the offer of a contract on the table for him if he wants it."

Howe, who takes his Basingstoke side to Canvey Island tonight, admitted: "Liam seemed keen to join us and I don't know what changed his mind. His one concern was that he's a university lad and he's due to start a work placement in September and was worried about getting time off for travelling, but that's still a long way off.

"He said about coming pre-season, but I might not want him then."

Green is doubtful with a groin injury for tonight's must-win New Forest derby over struggling Brockenhurst.

Lymington trail top dogs Eastleigh by 11 points but, with two games in hand and two games still to play against the league leaders, Kemp has far from thrown the title towel in.

He said: "There are still loads of points up for grabs. Most of us up near the top have had a rocky patch this season and I'm hoping Eastleigh's is still to come."

Brockenhurst striker Richard Glenister misses the Lymington trip with a recurrence of a knee problem.

Manager Pete Moore said: "Richard had an operation on his knee but came back early because we were short of players. To be fair, it has backfired on us and him.

"We won't see the best of him this season even if he does come back and line up in this campaign."

Matty White, Martyn Jones and Neil Linpow will also be missing for the injury-hit Badgers tonight, but Moore is hoping to draft in some emergency signings, including Poole Town manager Paul Morrell and Bournemouth Electric's Andy Gater.