Toolstation NCEL Division One
Glasshoughton Welfare joint managers Simon Houghton and Craig Wilkinson are aiming for the play-offs next season
Simon Houghton has set out his and Craig Wilkinson’s vision for Glasshoughton Welfare next season by saying that they are aiming for the play-offs.
Their resources might not match some of the top sides in the Division, but Houghton believes with a mixture of a good team spirit and a will to win, the top six is a realistic goal.
“The aim for next season is to finish in the play-offs,” Houghton told Non League Yorkshire. “With our budget compared to a lot of teams in this Division it is probably not very favourable, but it is about work ethic for me and squeezing every ounce out.
“A lot of teams have got out of this Division because of their work rate. I can remember managing Pontefract Collieries and playing Leeds Carnegie who were the best footballing side I have ever seen at this level. They never won a thing.
“Athersley is a prime example. No money, but with team spirit, hard work and a way of playing, they got promoted.”
It is those types of traits that have steered Glasshoughton away from danger since the appointment of Houghton and Wilkinson.
Glasshoughton were sitting close to the danger zone in December, but four wins on the spin eased fears and Welfare are now sitting comfortably in mid-table.
Houghton added: “We have brought four or five players in (since December), but the basis of a side was already here and they just needed some fine tuning and consistency because some of these players couldn’t make it each week.
“When we took the job we said we would need a bit of patience, but we seemed to turn it around pretty quickly. We had a good run of fixtures and a bit of luck.
“It shows that in this league if you’re organised and you work hard, you’re always in with a chance. The games we have lost: Emley we didn’t work hard, we didn’t seem right that day. Selby was the same as they were far better than us.
“But if we get our work rate right, we are a hard team to beat.”
Glasshoughton are away at Bottesford Town tomorrow.