Feature interview: New Selston on a fresh start and silencing the critics

The Villagers have endured a torrid season in the Premier Division of the Midland Football League after losing their first nine league games.

But they managed to pick up their first point of the campaign at the tenth time of asking in what was Steed’s first game back in the hot seat.

Steed, who took over from Carl Moore for his third spell in charge, said: “I wanted to kick on, so it is frustrating but there is nothing we can do about it. We are all in the same boat.

“We just have to get on with it now. It is a fresh chance to regroup and try and build on the first point we got.

“Everybody was disappointed Carl stepped down, but we're singing from the same hymn sheet, Players Carl brought in also want to play for me.

“I have done the job before and the lads know what I’m about. I got a good positive response when they found out I was taking over.”

Despite having failed to win any of their first ten matches, Selston find themselves level on points with fellow strugglers Haughmond on a point a piece.

And Steed believes it now gives his side all to play for when football eventually resumes once again.

“We have plenty of time to turn it around,” he said. “We turn up to every game confident that we can get something out of it.

“We know we're up against it every week with the quality in this league.

“We have been in games for 60-70 minutes, but if you are not in it for 90 at this level you are going to get nothing out of the game.”

“The fine margins can make a big difference, we should have a lot more points on board and the results do not always give a true reflection.

“But when you're nine games in with no points you can see confidence drain out of the players when you go 1-0 down.

“It feels like we have to score three to win a game because of the goals we concede.

“I've always said to the lads, we earn our luck as well. We are competing in the majority of games, but I don't think we looked fit enough as a whole and that's what I want to work on.

“In Carl's defence we've played Saturday and midweek from the start of the season.

“I really want to get on the training pitch with the lads to get the best out of them and I was looking forward to doing a couple sessions a week.

“At the minute we will have to set individual plans for the players to do.”

Selston finished bottom of the table last season but were repreived after the season was declared null and void due COVID-19.

And after being part of the club since he was ten, it would perhaps mean more than most to Steed if he can guide the Parishioners to safety.

“To keep the club up would be special,” said. “We are punching above our weight at step 5, but we also did that at step 6.

“The core of the players are still here. We lost a few when we went to step five, but that was to be expected when people can get £50 elsewhere. The players here now like playing for the club.

“We want to stay at this level. We have built a new stand and we want to be at this level.

“I had to step down before for personal reasons the first time and I stepped in again to help out for a few matches before Carl took over last season.

“I couldn’t commit 100 per cent which wasn’t fair on Carl or the lads, but I’m in a different position now and can give it my all.

“I have played at the club since I was ten, it’s a club in my heart and I live 200 yards from the pitch.

“I have a good CV and don't want relegation on it.”

He is also keen to silence the critics who have taken pot-shots at Selston following their climb up the football pyramid.

Said Steed; “You get other clubs and managers having snipes at us, but every team in this area wants to be where we are, it's as simple as that.

“We want to stay here and prove we are worthy of this level

“We would rather be at this level fighting and competing against players of this calibre and going to the grounds that we play at rather than playing in parks.

“We want to silence the critics in the best way. I remember being in the Notts Senior League and Central Midlands teams saying we are playing in a Mickey Mouse league and come play in a proper league - we did and won that league twice.

“I never imagined playing above step seven and having floodlights. We have made massive strides.”

But if the worst did happen Steed believes Selston would return to step six in a stronger position than when they last played at that level.

“When we went into step six they went in with the hope of being in the top half and then they finished fourth in the first season and won it the second season.

“No-one expected it, they went into every game believing they could get something. “If we went down the squad is younger and the lads that have been here a bit will have two more years of experience and experience of winning the league before, so they are in a good place to help the younger lads.

“We hope that it won't be the case. The team spirit we have is excellent, they get on well. You can't buy what we have got.

“It is encouraging for us. We are good enough to compete and get points on the board.”