There is a buzz and energy these days at The Walks as our manager Adam Lakeland has moulded together a new team ahead of the season opener against Warrington Town today.
Ten new players have joined, if you include the permanent signing of Greg Taylor, who was on loan last season, and the return of Gold Omatayo to his spiritual home, and I think we have a bit of everything in the camp.
Cody Johnson, our only loan player, came in from Stockport this week, with Football League experience, and gives us a steely edge to our midfield that with the departure of Cameron Hargreaves to our B team in Hampshire was the final missing piece to the puzzle.
Gold Omotayo and Fin Whiteley (Image: Ian Burt)
In Ross Crane and Fin Whiteley we have players who will get those in the seats onto their feet; in defence Tom Wilson, Greg Taylor and Freddie Sass will be tough cookies to pass (and allow Dylan Crowe to return to his preferred right hand side), in Josh Hmami and Josh McCammon we have players who can pick a pass, Patrick Boyes is a great young goalkeeper with real potential and Gold knows how to put the ball into the back of the net.
In short, we have legs, energy and fluid shapes that can change during a game and, crucially, in Adam we have a manager who will win us points over the season.
Sometimes we see good teams but average managers and these teams under-perform, but the opposite is also true, when we see reasonable teams and good managers (think Paul Holleran at Leamington) who with their tactical nous and understanding of the game ensure that their team outperforms the budget.
Adam and Sam Walker know how to tweak teams to turn draws into wins and that is what can make all the difference at the end of the season.
I am not allowed to bet and the last time I checked I am not even allowed to bet on the World Cup (clearly the powers that be have a misguided view as to how much influence non-league chairmen have in the game) but the odds quoted of 33/1 seem very generous indeed. In my view there are around eight teams that, if they get it right, could be in with a chance of winning the league, including ourselves, so odds of around 8/1 would be more accurate in my view – I hope that the bookies have got this one wrong.
As a club, the only event we need to concentrate on is beating Warrington and that will not be easy. Last season we lost at their place and drew at home and did not score a goal in either game, so that gives you an indication of the challenge that we will face today. Add to that the first-game-of-the-season factor and it can make the game a lottery. Players have spent weeks training and preparing for this moment and sometimes can come out of the traps at 100mph, leaving gaps all over the pitch; keeping disciplined is vital.
Off the pitch, our scoreboard is now working properly, local company Greenyard Frozen have become our official pudding sponsor as well as sponsoring the Tennyson Road end, WWSA Global Scaffolding and Access Consultants have sponsored the arms of the first team and will be the main shirt sponsor for our academy shirts, Charmed Interiors, Pattrick and Thompson, @Salon and Barsbys have all continued their support of the club so commercially we are very lucky to have such great companies supporting the club.
A back-pack arrived at my home this week by courier; it was full of gadgets, and as I am having a crackdown on my Amazon account, which the family seems to think is free, I held an immediate inquiry as to who had bought what. Both my sons and my wife denied having anything to do with the purchase and so I went off to the office in a humpty mood, only to find when I turned on my computer an email from the league informing me that this was the kit for the fourth officials that we now have in place this season. I was forced to eat a little humble pie; quite why I was sent it remains a mystery.
The stadium has been spruced up, a brand-new home dressing room has been created, and the pitch has had significant work by Ben Hales, which we all hope will take it to another level.
The stage is set and whilst there will be nerves until the whistle blows, I know that we will have a team that we can trust in and get behind as it will hopefully be a season that lives long in the memory for all the right seasons this time.
If you fancy a football fix at 3pm, please come down and lend your support, we will make you very welcome.
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