Brighouse manager Paul Quinn says his team have the experience to win the NCEL Premier Division
They played at Stockport County in the FA Cup, travelled to the Isle of Wight for a huge FA Vase game and taken giants Scarborough Athletic to the wire. That’s why Paul Quinn believes Brighouse Town have the experience required to win the Toolstation NCEL Premier Division title, writes James Grayson (Twitter: @jamesAgrayson).
Third-placed Brighouse missed out on the crown by just three points to Scarborough last season – the destination of the title being decided by the match between the sides in the second week of April.
Quinn’s men, who travel to Nostell tomorrow, are chasing leaders Tadcaster Albion and Barton Town Old Boys this time around and the Town boss has recently signed former Doncaster Rovers and Swansea City striker Jason Price to bolster his squad.
Former Fulham defender Rob Wilson, father of defender Adam, has also been appointed as first team coach and Quinn reckons Brighouse have an advantage over their title rivals in their bid to reach the Evo Stik Division One North.
“It was down to the game where we played Scarborough at home last year and ultimately they had that extra bit of quality and experience,” he told Sports Performer.
“Bringing in Jason Price at this stage of the season has given us a bit more experience and we have added Rob Wilson, an ex-professional, to the coaching staff and we felt we needed that experience.
“In this league we have experience that others haven’t and we have to draw on that. We have played in some big cup games and obviously the run-in last season can only stand us in good stead.
“There’s a long way to go though. We’re also not coming up against an anomaly that was Scarborough.
“There is no-one with the ability to get a Bryan Hughes in at this stage of the season and nobody with the fan-base that Scarborough have got. I can’t see us getting 1200 at Brighouse again between now and the end of the season.
“For us to finish second last season with 97 points and not go up or be in a play-off was a shame for the players because they deserved promotion last season.
“I’m drawing on that experience and the players are so we will see where it takes us. It wouldn’t be a disaster if we didn’t go up. The club is in good shape and we have moved forward and progressed.
“Two years ago we were fighting a relegation battle and we weren’t getting many through the gate. Things were looking bleak and the distance we have gone in that time has been unbelievable and we are all aspiring to go up.
“If it happens, it happens and we’re going to do everything possible to make it happen. If it doesn’t happen, we’ll go again next season.”
Jason Price has joined Brighouse Town and played in two matches so far
Brighouse may be in third spot, but they do have four games in hand of Tadcaster which could take them four points clear at the top.
Quinn has ruled out following Paul Marshall’s lead by setting a points target and also claims that the title race is a four-horse race and rather a three which others have suggested.
The Brighouse boss says Worksop Parramore are still candidates and he added: “I’m aiming to get as many points as we can get.
“I’m not going to put a number on it because it would be naïve to look through the fixtures and say we are going to we are definitely to get three points there.
“We’re just concentrating on Nostell and not looking at other results.
“That’s the good thing, we don’t have to be looking over our shoulders, whereas other teams in the league might be looking at our games and hoping things go against us.
“I’m not interested in any other result and we’ll go to Nostell and look to get a positive result and then we look forward to Lincoln.
“I know it is a cliché, but we are literally looking forward to the next game and not looking around us.
“The team who are top are favourites and they’re the ones who are there to be caught. We’ll keep going and anyone Worksop are ruling out of it are wrong because I think they’re still in it.”