NCEL season preview – Knaresborough

Toolstation NCEL Division One

Knaresborough have suffered the blow of missing out on an Emirates FA Cup place because of crisis club Lincoln Moorlands, but the disappointment will only spur them. They were strong last season and their squad has only got stronger.

Manager

Paul Stansfield

Stansfield is in his second season in charge at Manse Lane after replaced Brian Davey at short notice last summer. The former Harrogate Railway defender was previously player/assistant manager to Davey.

Opening Five Fixtures

Nostell Miners Welfare (H), Worsbrough Bridge (H), Shirebrook Town (H), Selby Town (A), Glasshoughton Welfare (H)

Player Movement

In: Tom Woolard, Byron Littlefair (Thackley), Ben Cohen (Thackley), Tom Hesketh, Danny King.

Out: Faltum Ibrahimi (Tadcaster Albion), George Eustance (Thackley)

One to Watch

Brad Walker (Striker)

Prediction

Promotion candidates

Interview

Mark Smitheringale

Knaresborough Town are missing out on a great experience when the Emirates FA Cup begins tomorrow.

That’s the view of assistant manager Mark Smitheringale, who is in charge of their opening two matches as Paul Stansfield is serving a stadium ban.

Smitheringale has enjoyed a lot of success in the FA competitions. He played in the 1984 FA Vase final for Stamford and he was Paul Marshall’s assistant during Harrogate Railway’s famous run to the FA Cup second round proper in 2002.

“I was lucky enough to be part of the management team at Harrogate Railway when we had two amazing runs in the FA Cup,” Smitheringale told Non League Yorkshire.

“Once when we got knocked out in the fourth qualifying round against Morecambe and then we played Bristol City in the second round proper.

“It is frustrating that we’re not in it and I say that because I’ve had first hand experience of being involved in a cup run.

“Clearly there’s the financial element of it, but it is the journey, the memories, the camaraderie, all of the things a cup run brings and to be denied an opportunity to achieve that is frustrating in the circumstances that it has been decided.

“Even one win in the FA Cup can be brilliant and it is about momentum and having a winning mentality. Everyone wants to play in the FA Cup and it is something that brings a team together.”

Knaresborough surprised many last season after getting involved in the race for the play-offs. Smitheringale believes he and manager Stansfield have put together a side that can challenge again.

“I think we have assembled a very good squad and we’re looking to improve on what we did last year,” he said.

“The second half of last season showed that we were capable of mixing it with most of the teams in the league.

“Where we came unstuck was against the bigger sides. The Hemsworths, the Mansfields, etc of the league. We lacked killer instinct in both boxes.

“What we have tried to do is retain the squad we had and add a bit more experience because I think that could make a bit of a difference for us.

“We overachieved last season. Stanners and myself took over halfway through pre-season and the squad we finished the season with was dramatically different to the squad we started with.

“We turned it around during the season without being too drastic. We felt we brought better players in and we finished the season well. We hope and expect to carry that momentum on and be up there challenging.”