Russ Eagle says Pontefract can’t wait to end their Premier Division exile
Pontefract Collieries will finally end their 16 year wait for Toolstation NCEL Premier Division football tomorrow.
The 2014-15 Division One runners-up are hosting Armthorpe Welfare at Beechnut Lane on the opening day.
It is a fixture that Collieries officials and supporters have been dreaming of since the day promotion was won at Lincoln Moorlands Railway in April.
Joint manager Russ Eagle has only been with Pontefract since June, but he has seen the excitement.
He also believes the club are very capable of stepping up to their new level.
“The club is on a high and being back in the Premier Division is all they have spoken about since I joined six weeks ago,” Eagle told Non League Yorkshire.
“It is a major thing for them. Having the first game at home helps and I think the club has the ability to stay in the league and finish high up.
“Realistically a top ten finish is what we’re looking for.
“That’s what we have set our stall out looking for and I think it is achievable.
“We still have players away and we’re still waiting on one major signing.
“The hopes are good and we’re ready to go. It has been 16 years in the waiting and we’re ready to compete for those three points.”
Pontefract Collieries captain Nigel Danby (left) and joint manager Nick Handley (right) celebrate winning promotion back in April
Former Parkgate and Handsworth Parramore manager Eagle was brought in to help ease the workload on promotion-winning bosses Nick Handley and Duncan Bray.
The makeup of Ponte’s management team is incredibly rare, but Eagle is happy with the situation.
Although Handley and Bray appear to have forgotton to give him a tour of the ground.
“It is working well and I think the thing is that Nick and Dunc have massive commitments with work,” he said.
“It is massively unusual, but we’ll see how it goes.
“The only thing on Tuesday is that I came in and went in the away changing room.
“I had never been in the home dressing room before so I walked straight in and said: ‘oh I’m in the wrong changing room’.”