Cleethorpes Town manager Marcus Newell (left) says his club have made great strides in 2014
2014 will go down as a year when Cleethorpes Town made great strides on and off-the-pitch.
That’s the verdict of Cleethorpes manager Marcus Newell.
Cleethorpes were only formed as a club in 2003 and only entered the Toolstation NCEL two years ago.
In the past 12 months, Town have won the Division One title and reached the second qualifying round of the FA Cup – incredibly during their first foray in the competition.
Newall told Non League Yorkshire: “Off-the-field, we are moving very quickly.
“The board are trying to rush forward as quickly as possible. We just have to manage it from a football point of view.
“The FA Cup run was brilliant for the club. We did fantastically well, but after that for two games there was a dip from performance levels.
“We have got back to where we was and we’re starting to enjoy it again.
“The Carlton win (in the FA Cup) will have been one of the best wins in the history because you have to remember that Clee Town are a very young club.
“It has been a brilliant year. More players than ever are interested in coming down to play for us.
“There are six or seven players (in Cleethorpes) who drive out of town to play for higher levels clubs.
“My aim over the next six or 12 months to stop them lads playing out of the town and get them playing for their hometown club.
“If we get them then we may have a chance of doing something next year, it certainly won’t be this year.”
Cleethorpes have made an excellent start to life in the Premier Division.
Town lie in eighth and have won four league games on the bounce and even Newell says that his side have performed above expectations.
“Honestly, this season, if we can just stay in the league and give a good account of ourselves, that will do me,” he said.
“I know it sounds like a cliche, but it is true. We’re doing slightly better than how I thought we would be doing at this time.
“The teams are stronger and the delivery is much better and the fitness of sides is a lot better.
“We have got a lot of young lads and we’re trying to manage a game in a lot better way.
“We’re trying to turn teams round a lot more than what we used to. It’s working for us at the minute, but it’s a long season.”
Cleethorpes’ latest victory was the 4-1 win over Garforth Town on Wednesday night.
All the goals were scored in the first half and Cleethorpes failed to add to their tally, despite Garforth having midfielder Luke Mangham in goal for the second half.
Newell added: “It would have been so easy to carry on in the way we have been playing, but at 4-1 I decided I wanted us to learn how to shut the game down which we’re not particularly good at.
“At 4-1 at half-time and to finish at 4-1, I’ll take that.
“I thought we were outstanding in the first half. For 30 minutes, it was the best football I have seen at this level since I have been involved at this club.
“It fell away as the game went on.”
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