Frickley Athletic manager Karl Rose is urging his players to keep believing that they can pull themselves out of trouble in the Evo Stik Premier Division
Karl Rose says he still has complete faith in his Frickley Athletic side, despite the club sitting bottom of the Evo Stik Premier Division table.
Last week’s 4-0 trouncing at Buxton left Frickley on five points after eight games and bottom ahead of the visit of giants FC United of Manchester to Westfield Lane tomorrow night.
Frickley have won just once of their opening fixates – a 1-0 win over Matlock Town two weeks ago – but Rose remains positive of pulling out of the relegation zone.
He does admit that his side needs victories quickly.
“We still believe if we can get on a run, hopefully we can finish as high as we can,” Rose told Non League Yorkshire.
“It is still early doors. I have been fairly happy with most of the performances, but I’ve said to the boys that we have to cut our naivety out.
“We have to get more quality in and around the opposition’s box and got to keep some clean sheets.
“Results breed confidence, but we still believe and we’re still working hard and roll on tomorrow night because at home we’re fancying ourselves to upset the apple cart against FC United.
“It should be a good atmosphere. FC United always bring an absolute shed-load of supporters and they never stop singing and they are a credit to their club.
“Hopefully we can respond to that and get on the front-foot against them, especially at home.
“We have been a bit unlucky that we haven’t picked up more points at home.
“We have to start getting some wins and we have to replicate the Matlock win.
“It wasn’t a fluke, it wasn’t lucky, it was a dominant 1-0 win as much as that can be.
“We have to keep believing and enjoying it because we can’t get down because we know it is going to be a hard and long season.”
John Cyrus played through the pain barrier for Frickley Athletic during the FA Cup first qualifying round defeat at Farsley AFC
Frickley have been perennial strugglers in the Premier Division. The Blues have been members of the Division since 1987 and have somehow stayed there against the odds at times.
Apart from when Gary Marrow led them to second place and inches away from promotion in 2006, Frickley have always been in the lower reaches and they have received two reprieves from relegation in three years.
One of those was under Peter Rinkcavage in 2012 and the other was under Rose’s watch earlier this year.
But, the current Frickley chief claims it is a struggle for his club in the league because of monetary reasons.
“We know the financial restraints that we are under,” he said.
“We have a very small budget in a league that multi-clubs that are paying stupid money.
“First and foremost we have to compete in the lower-end of the market to get the players in.
“We have then got to try and get them better and it is difficult because you are trying to get consistency out of lads who are stepping up to play for less money than the opposition.
“All I can ask for is blood, guts and thunder and commitment each week and if that’s not good enough, we have to take that on the chin.
“Fifth-bottom has been successful for this club over the last ten years. It is probably our toughest year in those ten years.
“You look at this league this year, there are no bad teams. Everyone has a big budget compared to ours and we have to try and stay in that pack (the bottom five).
“Even though we are bottom, a win tomorrow and we will move up six or seven places.”
Another problem that Frickley face is that apart from Whitby, the South Elmsall-based outfit are the only Yorkshire side in the Premier Division.
Frickley are a “small fish in a big pond” and Rose, who admits he got lots of ‘no’s” from potential signings in the summer, said: “Especially now with Stocksbridge getting relegated, we haven’t got a local derby.
“It is an hour-plus anywhere we go.
“We’re at Workington next Saturday and we have already played Kings’ Lynn on a Tuesday night, Buxton on a Tuesday night.
“We have Witton coming up on a Tuesday night and they are two and a half hour plus trips and the lads are having to leave work at three o’clock and we’re not getting home at half-one in the morning.
“If they want to play at a high level and in this league then that’s what you have to put up with.
“Some have turned their nose up and gone to play for more money at lower league teams and for playing at more local grounds.
“That is an issue when trying to attract better quality players to Frickley. Me and the coaching staff are never off the phone.
“When we offer one wage and someone from the league below is offering double what are offering, its heartbreaking.
“But, we’re happy with the squad we have got for the money we are paying.
“We have a good changing room and enough quality to win games and we believe we can go on a good run and climb that table quickly and get back in the pack.”
Rose hopes to complete the signings of two experienced Premier Division players ahead of the FC United clash.
He is without Jameel Ible (ankle) and John Cyrus is a doubt having played through the pain barrier at Farsley AFC in the FA Cup.