OPINION: The future's looking bright for Clipstone

Has Clipstone’s luck changed over the past few months? I think it has you know. Some of the results we’ve been getting, in recent years, would’ve seen us lose.

No, it’s not that it’s just clicked, it’s the concerted effort of a whole club from chairman, manager, coach and captain down over the last two or three months that has swung fortunes.

Last Saturday we came up against the league favourites Heanor Town and we managed to get a point with Jason Foster, Lewis Warwick and Josh Pickering out injured/missing for work - that’s your two captains and the club’s top scorer in the stands.

In their place, up stepped Josh Ing, a man who signed as an attacking midfielder expecting a dynamic creative role further afield.

Last week he has found himself playing deeper, killing play, spraying the ball across the park and covering the pitch like he has never covered before.

James McConnell has played consistently at right-back for the last eight weeks. Not only has James been playing well, he was asked to play in a position he’s been unfamiliar with. He’s now our first choice right-back.

To do well in the league you need depth and that’s something the manager has added, guys who can move up and down the line up and still do their jobs.

Jack Warwick has been immense recently, scoring big goals like he did at Teversal and last Saturday against Heanor. But with Jack it’s more than goals, he helps out defensively, chases the opposition defences down and brings Clippo some sandpaper finish.

We have Jack Siddall adding some vital experience, pace and creativity. He, along with his namesake Warwick, have been pivotal to getting points of late. Siddall’s contribution was a stunning goal against Kimberley and the opener against Barrow, along with the brilliant vision to find Warwick for his goal against Heanor.

Finally, there’s the under 18’s captain Jack Lowe and his rise to prominence. The youngest of all the lads, he too is given game time and will only continue to flourish.

This Clipstone team has grown and developed though the season, but does it have enough to keep going? Well, who knows but right now for the first time in years it feels good to be at Clipstone.