Selston FC assistant manager Jack Havron wants team to manage games better

The Parishioners are currently preparing for their second season at step five level after finishing bottom of the aborted Midland Football League Premier Division last time out.

And Havron believes that the players must now become more savvy if they are to improve.

“The lads started to learn a lot more on how to play football at the end of the season,”he said.

“We were just up against it time wise at the end and we will be better prepared next year. “The key thing for the lads will be managing games better. You have to be more streetwise at this level.

“We got a lot of draws where we had to fight really hard.

“The lads realised that in some situations, when you are away from home you have to go grab a point, it is not always about three.

“No-one in that league rolls over, so you have to really dig in and manage the games.”

As well as being more streetwise on the pitch, the former Eastwood man knows the club’s management team must also get it right.

And he is keen to see two or three new players added to help the squad cope with the increased demands in fitness and class.

“We are going to try and work on fitness levels in the summer, depending what happens, and push it up,” he added..

“Me and Carl (Moore) have also been talking about systems we want to play next season. “We have got a good core of experienced lads that have won titles and leagues and it is about adding to the style of football we want to play.

“We are trying to identify two or three players that will just add to the way we play.

“We got that into the lads and they were doing it at the end of the season.

“We need more depth, when two or three key players are missing for the system you need replacements.”

But he knows that will not be easy for a club reliant on finding the next crop of unearthed talent.

“We have not got the luxury or the budgets of other clubs, so we have got to find lads who are hungry,” he added.

“We are looking at experienced players with the hunger, and who want to help the younger lads, and we are looking at younger hidden gems that want to prove themselves and go on and play at a higher level.

“I know there are quite a few players at the level below who are easily good enough to play this standard of football.

“We have just got to find those lads who buy into what we do.

“We have got to work harder than other clubs, but we are looking forward to the challenge of getting the best out of what we have got.

“We are looking for lads who want to play the highest level possible, lads from the league below who have the quality.

“There is only Selston, Long Eaton and Newark in the local area, the rest are based towards Birmingham. That does open doors up regarding getting the right players who are here for the right reason.

“I really love being at Selston because everybody at Selston wants to be here and to work together. It is nice that everyone is pulling in the same direction.

“It is ok having the money, I have been at other clubs before where that can cause problems and tensions.”

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

In order for us to continue to provide high quality and trusted local news on this free-to-read site, I am asking you to also please purchase a copy of our newspaper when you do your weekly shop.

Our journalists are highly trained and our content is independently regulated by IPSO to some of the most rigorous standards in the world. But being your eyes and ears comes at a price. So we need your support more than ever to buy our newspapers during this crisis.

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our local valued advertisers - and consequently the advertising that we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you helping us to provide you with news and information by buying a copy of our newspaper.

Thank you