Jon Miles believes he can keep Glasshoughton Welfare in the Toolstation NCEL Premier Division
Jon Miles admits Glasshoughton Welfare have fallen short of expectations so far this season, but remains convinced he can keep his club in the Toolstation NCEL Premier Division.
Miles, who says he is “not one to walk away”, won the backing of Welfare chairman Phil Riding yesterday.
Riding said his manager is “under no pressure at this moment in time” following a number of poor results which includes the 11-0 annihilation at Runcorn Town.
Miles even admits he “felt like digging a hole and jumping in it” after that defeat.
Glasshoughton currently sit one place above the relegation zone ahead of a trip to crisis club Thackley tomorrow and Miles told Non League Yorkshire: “Without a doubt we are in a relegation battle.
“We are keeping our heads just above the water.
“If we could get a (our best) side out, I’d be quite confident to say that we won’t be in a relegation battle at the end of the season.
“There are three tiers in the league. There’s a top seven and a bottom five which unfortunately we are in at the moment.
“We are in a dogfight, but I think if we can get the players we want we will beat the sides in and around us.
“We’ve only played Armthorpe Welfare in that group and we haven’t had a great start fixture-wise.
“It hasn’t been good enough though, not by a long shot.
“The games we have lost, I wouldn’t say we have deserved to win them but we certainly shouldn’t be losing heart and folding the way we have been.
“We have been unlucky. Last week we only had 11 available and 14 who were either injured or working.
“We knew it would be a learning curve and we would struggle financially with the budgets other sides have got.
“I still believe that there are players who are local and good enough.
“I’ve found it hard to get people to commit to what we want from them.”
Glasshoughton Welfare need a new assistant manager as Mark Kellett (pictured) recently departed
Miles is also having to manage Glasshoughton on his own as assistant Mark Kellett recently departed because work commitments.
He is looking to recruit a replacement, but has yet to find a suitable candidate.
His hands are further tied at Thackley tomorrow as Jimmy Williams and Del Pollock are unlikely to feature, while captain Blaine Kellett is suspended and Adam Walsh is at a wedding.
He also claims that his hands are further tied because Glasshoughton’s reserve team in the West Yorkshire League second division was disbanded last week.
“They folded the second team last Saturday so that hurts me player-wise,” he said.
“It has a knockdown effect right down the line. James Hicks wants to come and play at this standard again.
“He played at Ponte Colls and has just been playing Sunday League football.
“He wants some games under his belt. What do you do? Throw him like a lamb to the slaughter.
“It’s hindering my job, but we can’t hide behind that because we haven’t been good enough up to press as we haven’t got the bodies out there which we should have.”
Miles has yet to name the same team for the two consecutive games, but he is honest when discussing the reasons why.
“We have players here who when they are 100%, are good enough,” he said.
“When they knock-off, they are a million miles away.
“We do need commitment out of the players, but it is difficult when I have players telling me they can earn £60 on a Saturday working. I can’t match that.
“What do you say to someone who says ‘I’d like to come to Thackley on Saturday, but I have been asked to work and it is £160’.
“I know when I played I didn’t work Saturdays because I wanted to play, but times have changed.
“I’m remaining positive because you have got to do.
“I’ve had a few sleepless nights thinking about should we do this or do that?
“All kinds of things have gone through my head like should we be looking to get rid of the players who are our better players but are not committing every week, and go with a 16 who we know are going to turn up.
“Do you mess around the lads who turn up about by bringing the better quality lads in when they are available? It is a balancing act which we haven’t got right yet.”
The referee for Glasshoughton’s trip to Thackley is Matthew Pope.