Toolstation NCEL Division One
Mark ‘Willy’ Wilson has joined Worsbrough’s survival fight
Non League legend Mark ‘Willy’ Wilson is latest player to throw himself into the battle to keep his home-town club Worsbrough Bridge in the Northern Counties East League.
Wilson has arrived from Retford United to help out in the final seven Division One matches as Bridge aim to pull off the ‘great escape’.
Second bottom Worsbrough, who are under the interim control of Ian Shirt, are six points behind Rossington Main with three games-in-hand. Wilson joins fellow experienced NCEL players such as Lee Garside, Chris White, Dean Shirt and Luke Forgione who have all returned to Park Road to help Worsbrough stay up.
“As a footballing person and a local Barnsley lad, helping Worsbrough avoid relegation is something that is important to me,” he said.
“There is a nucleus of good teams from the Barnsley area and keeping Worsbrough in the NCEL can only be good for Non League football, the town and the community.
“I know things haven’t been smooth sailing both on and off-the-field this season, but (previous manager) Mark Joyce did as much as he could under very hard circumstances, which he must be praised for.
“I have played with the majority of the team that has been signed for them recently, such as Ryan Laight, Lee Garside and Chris White, who I played with last season at Stocksbridge. I’ve also played with the likes of Fudge (Forgione), Dec (Lycett), Brad (Kerr) and Shirty (Dean Shirt), to name a just few.
“On paper we have a strong group of players, but we must play as a team and not as individuals.
“I believe we can achieve survival. I know the team spirit will be strong because we all want the same result at the end of the season.
“Each player has something different to add to the team. I am no exception, and my experience will be important, through motivation, and the will to win. I will also be a calming influence in certain situations that will arise during games. I honestly believe we have enough quality within the team and the spirit to achieve our goal.”
Worsbrough are scheduled to play Hallam tonight at Park Road before hosting Yorkshire Amateur on Thursday.