Rainworth chairman wants to see a return to better times

The former step four club ended their aborted Premier Division campaign in the EMCFL in 14th spot.

It is a far cry from the five seasons that the Wrens spent in the Northern Premier League Division One South before they took voluntary relegation in April 2015 for financial reasons.

And Lee would like to see the Kirklington Road side target a promotion place next season and begin their journey back up the football pyramid.

“The top four teams are going to get promoted so we are aiming to finish in those places,” he said.

“I would love to get up to a higher league, we thoroughly enjoyed it when we were up there before, but we just did not get the crowds we needed or expected to get.

“You expect more people to watch you when you get there, but you don’t.

“We never finished in a relegation place, it was just too heavy financially for us. We held our own when we were there.

“We will look for promotion next season and if we get it we will take it. If we go up we will stick with the same team, we wouldn’t want to spend any money.”

But Lee knows that his side will need to attract more people through the gate to help their ambitions.

“Last year we didn’t do bad with crowds as we had more local games,” he added. “We had about 75 average and games with over 100 when Eastwood and the likes came.

“It is very difficult, I don’t know what you have to do in Rainworth to get people to come and watch a game.

“We always think a crowd of 100 is nice, but it is what it is.

“There won’t be as many sponsors around this year, it will be harder to get.

“We have a few sponsoring us, not major stuff but it all helps. A lot of people won’t have the money.”