Off the field Liz and the committee are trying their hardest to sought out the well documented issues that the club has and there are still a few T’s to cross and I’s to dot before the season commences.

Dr. Phil Henry will be my assistant manger this season and football secretary in the absence of Tony Knowles, which is the only disappointment on taking over – he and I joined Town when Steve Burr was manager with Tony becoming the kit man and me about to resurrect Hucknall Town colts. Tony’s reasons for stepping down are his own and have to be respected but I hope he knows he is welcome back when he feels it is right for him.

Phil is a very underrated and articulate coach and one of the best I have seen at the club and that includes those with all the badges and ego!!

Stevo remains at the club and will act as general manager involving coaching, my confidante, as well as admin and website duties – he is a brilliant bloke and after the ups and downs we have both seen at the club over the last few seasons and the disrespect we were shown during the last one I am pleased he is staying loyal to Hucknall.

John Whetton, who I have kept in touch with since he made his Town debut with Andy Legg joins as technical coach which through his day job as a professional freestyle footballer he is well qualified in doing – he has also signed to play when work does not dictate – such as Champions league finals, Manchester City kit launches etc.

Colin Corbett will be our kit man which he has been doing admirably in making sure the lads have everything laid out for them and hydrated during training sessions and the club does not lose money in lost equipment and missing footballs.

Although Phil is a capable physio I am trying to get another for at least Monday evening training sessions so that injuries picked up on Saturday’s can be assessed after initial treatment.

Pre-season is now into its fourth week and having seen the standard of last season in CML (more competitive and the quality better than it has been given credit for) we have kept the youngsters that handled themselves well and added a few more experienced players from teams one and two levels higher even though they themselves are in their early twenties.

We had a trial game last week which went well (results meaningless at this stage) although playing on the training pitch is not suited to the passing and possession style we have worked on the first half was very pleasing and we always looked comfortable. The biggest plus was James Beddingham coming through 45 minutes after being told two weeks ago at hospital that he would be out for three months, having seen a physio and had his damaged elbow drained he reported no ill effects.

We will be the youngest squad in the league but those 16 and 17 year olds of last season are now a year older and wiser – looking at the table the bare figures belie what those kids achieved, many games they lost out purely through inexperience and were the better footballing side a lot of the time considering their age and the experienced players they were competing against. Our game at South Normanton when they had just brought in a new manager and “resources” which we lost 3-0 proved what we have to work and develop with these lads – as their manager probably through self preservation gave us little credit but a long time supporter of theirs commented that if you can keep these lads together you will have an hell of a side, (beat them 3-1 seven games later) and we are looking forward to seeing them develop further and we know we have some good lads as eight of them have been approached by other Central Midland sides to join them (several by Linby) but all have stayed and the likes of Alex Arnold and James Beddingham prepared to travel down from Manchester and Chesterfield to play and train.

My only mention of money and to put things into perspective and so that no one is under any illusions about the competitive nature of Central Midlands is a striker I would have liked to come and play was getting £60 plus a game already at step 7!!!!

I will give a full squad list by next week after talking to a few more lads and Wednesday’s second trial game.

It will be a season of peaks and troughs on and off the pitch and it will not be all rosy but we would like to thank everyone currently at the club, past players, managers and supporters for all their good wishes since we stepped up to run the first team but its not about us as we have no egos it’s about Hucknall Town Football club surviving and you the supporters being made to feel part of it again and we fully understand that will take time and the only thing we can ask is that those that do come and watch give the young lads your support and follow their development as they are the immediate future of the club.

Best Wishes
Andy G.