PAUL Warhurst's latest injury setback has sent Sam Allardyce searching for cover and fearing for the future of his star utility man.

The Wanderers' boss admitted today that he has no option but seek reinforcements after Warhurst - making his first appearance of the season after recovering from a groin problem - suffered a hamstring strain in last night's Worthington Cup win over Macclesfield.

This latest in a catalogue of fitness problems that have blighted the former Oldham, Blackburn and Sheffield Wednesday star's potentially-glittering career has prompted the manager to raise serious doubts over a player who is in the final year of his Reebok contract.

"It looks like Paul's old problems have arisen again," Allardyce said after the 30-year-old Warhurst failed to appear for the second half of the first round, first leg clash with the Third Division side.

"After a long hard pre-season of no problems, all of a sudden and without kicking a ball in the league, he's picked up two injuries, which is a great concern for me and for the boy himself, who is very upset.

"It means I have to ask how many games am I going to get out of him and, the way it looks, it's not going to be too many."

And with experienced defenders Jimmy Phillips (knee), Robbie Elliott (groin) and Simon Charlton (hamstring) on the medium-term casualty list, Allardyce says new signings are now a matter of urgency.

"I need to strengthen the squad as quickly as I can again," he insisted just days after easing his manpower crisis with an eve-of-season double swoop for strikers Isaiah Rankin, on loan from Bradford, and the unattached Ian Marshall.

"I must try and bring in some quality players, be it in the short term or the long term ... whatever we can do and as quick as we possibly can.

"You don't find it easy when you haven't got the funds to do it - signing Isaiah Rankin ended a 16-day 'adventure' trying to get somebody into the club then Marshie popped his head up at the last minute and joined us on a non-contract basis.

"We've muddled through and, make no mistake about it, we won't keep getting away with it so we've got to do something about it now while we've started well. We've had two wins and a draw and that can only breed confidence but, with Simon Charlton going down and Paul Warhurst going down the squad is no bigger than it was at the start of the season - and it's a great concern just three games in."

Wanderers have a number of targets on their hit list, both home based and continental and currently have a multitude of nationalities involved in trials at the Euxton training ground.

But Allardyce, who at least has the prospect of having skipper Mike Whitlow and striker Michael Ricketts free from suspension for Saturday's Reebok derby against Preston, says the trialists are short of match practice.

With Wanderers having limited funds in the transfer kitty, the manager is exploring the loan system again, possibly on long-term arrangements.

"We've a few targets," he confirmed. "It's just making sure we get what we can when we can and at the right price. I'm in a situation where I don't have any real money to spend on the transfer market. I think in the short-term situation we might have to be looking at a year's loan or a three-month loan.

"Bodies are what we need at the moment. We need experienced people I can put on the bench and hopefully do a job for us."