Glasshoughton Welfare interim boss Jon Miles
Interim boss Jon Miles hopes his new-look Glasshoughton Welfare team can end the season on a high to boost his chances of earning the role on a permanent basis.
Reserve team manager Miles was confirmed as Rob Hunter’s temporary replacement three weeks ago and has so far led them to one win, one draw and three defeats.
Welfare were also leading 1-0 against Staveley last week when floodlight failure caused an abandonment.
Glasshoughton host Barton Town Old Boys tomorrow afternoon, without suspended defender Jamie Williams, and Miles believes his tenure has started well.
“I was very pleased to get the chance to manage the team for the rest of the season,” he said.
“We have brought some good local lads in and although we had a win and a draw and three losses, we took Thackley to the 90th minute, Heanor to the 88th.
“We haven’t had a drubbing like earlier in the season, no disrespect to the others who were here. We are only getting piped by the odd goal so we’re going in the right direction.
“There are things to be positive about, but we need to pick up a couple of wins to get the morale up.
“The aim is to be competitive as we can and make sure we have a competitive side out every week alongside getting a few wins so they will give me a chance for next year.
“We have Winterton and Lincoln in our last couple of games and I’d like to think we’ll get a win in those games. Anything else is bonus as we have also Barton, Taddy and Basford.”
Miles has focussed on bringing back a number of local players to the club including Del Pollock, Andy Seed, Alex Booth and Mark Newton – all players from the Craig Elliott glory days.
Danny Middleton, who played seven times for Hunter earlier in the season, has also returned.
Their arrivals have offset the departures of Russ Headley, Alex Low, Andy Sunley, Matt Donnelly, Kieron Corley and a bad injury to influential defender James Beaston.
Glasshoughton captain Darrell Young has been banned by the NCEL for 112 days
Miles is also without club captain Darrell Young for the rest of the season as the utility player has been hit by one of the league’s controversial 112-day bans for his disciplinary record.
It is the same punishment that was handed to Scarborough Athletic striker Ryan Blott and three other players in 2011 – bans that were later overturned as the NCEL were told by the FA that the “wording of the rule was flawed”.
Young can actually play in any other league apart from the NCEL.
He is said to be upset by the suspension and Miles claims his captain is considering retirement.
“I don’t think (it is fair) and it is a bit extreme,” he added.
“He’s at the point where he will have missed the last 14 or 15 games of the season and he’s a talented footballer who if he was standing in front of us would say he’s not playing next year because he’s had enough of the game.
“He could go play somewhere else (outside of the NCEL), but he doesn’t want to. He’s a bit down about it and he’s another player that we may be geeing up over the summer if given the chance to manage the team.”