New NCEL season preview – Garforth

Toolstation NCEL Premier Division

Garforth never recovered from the departure of Graham Nicholas and seven key players midway through last season. His replacement Adrian Costello inherited a side that had been left threadbare by a mass exodus to Ossett Town and he struggled. The Miners slowly got sucked into a relegation battle before disaster was averted with only a few games to spare.

Manager

Rob Hunter

Former Glasshoughton Welfare manager Hunter was thrown into the hot-seat in May after Adrian Costello resigned so he could take up a post in women’s football with the FA. Hunter had joined Garforth last November as Costello’s assistant.

Opening Five Fixtures

Chester-Le-Street (A) – Emirates FA Cup, Grimsby Borough (H), Hemsworth Miners Welfare (A), Maltby Main (H), Clipstone (H).

Player Movement

In: James Beaston (Nostell Miners Welfare), Mitch Hamilton (Pickering Town), Simon Walton (Crawley Town), Simon Poole (Nostell Miners Welfare), Jake Rose, Paul Hagreen (Brighouse Town), Jack McMurrough (Liversedge), Lee Turner, Sam Leach, Casey Stewart, Russ Headley, Craig Tonkinson, Joe Dunnett, Nathan Dwyer,

Out: Mick Jones, Greg Kidd (Harrogate Railway), Danny Harris (Nostell Miners Welfare), Ash Preece (Nostell MW), Khalid Alali, Curtly Martin-Wyatt (Hyde United), Jack McCarthy (Hyde United),

One to Watch

James Beaston

Non League Yorkshire told Garforth chairman Brian Close two or three years ago that James Beaston was a potential future captain of the Miners. That has prophecy has come true. Beaston, a versatile player that will always get a minimum of seven out of ten for each performance, is a fantastic summer signing for Garforth.

Prediction

Mid-table

Interviews

Rob Hunter

Rob Hunter believes that Garforth Town’s supporters can play a major part if he is to lead a resurgence of the Miners.

Garforth strayed far too close to the relegation zone at the end of a nightmare campaign and only secured survival with three games to spare after thrashing Pontefract Collieries 6-1 at the J.S White Community Stadium.

Despite their struggles, Hunter says he was impressed with the fanbase who never criticised the players and management and only offered encouragement.

“We went into the Pontefract Collieries match and we played it like a cup final,” Hunter told Non League Yorkshire.

“The result was quite emphatic, but the atmosphere building up to it was quite nervy.

“It was a nervy finish. What was fantastic last season and one of the reasons why I have fallen in love with this club was because the supporters knew what predicament Adie Costello was in.

“For his first match, he only had eleven eligible players. We went on a run at one point where we lost eight or nine games on the bounce.

“The crowd, especially at the home matches, could see how much effort was going in and how much enthusiasm there.

“I remember a game where we worked really hard, but we got beat 3-1 and every man stood and applauded us off because they could see the effort.

“I’ve said this to (owners) Craig (Bannister) and Brian (Close), imagine if we beat some of the top teams and got a bit of a run going. It could really take off.

“It is about having the same attitude and commitment as last year, but having a lot more quality and experience.”

Expectations-wise, Hunter has been told to ensure that Garforth don’t flirt with relegation again.

“The club have a long term aim of getting back into the Evo Stik and to be a strong focal point for this area,” he said.

“My remit is to make sure we are competitive and we’re in a position at the end of the season where we aren’t looking over our shoulder and wondering if we’re going to stay up.

“I think it is very important we get points on the board very quickly and we get stable very quickly because there is a lot of new players.

“It will take a little bit of settling in, but it is important we hit the ground running and be competitive against the top sides in the league.”

Mark Simpson

Mark Simpson has issued his own personal hands-off warning to other clubs as he’s staying at Garforth for the whole campaign.

Simpson, one of the most exciting young strikers in the entire Division, came out firing on all cylinders at the start of last season and at one point led the top goal-scorers chart.

However, the move to Ossett Town in the Evo Stik with Graham Nicholas in November backfired. He soon came back to the J.S White Community Stadium, but was unable to regain the form he enjoyed at the beginning of the campaign.

“It was a good start, but then I decided to leave which was probably a mistake on my part in the end,” Simpson told Non League Yorkshire.

“I had scored something like 13 goals in 15 games and if I had stayed, I could have got 30. I went to Ossett and didn’t do well. At the time it was probably right thing to do to go with Graham, but it didn’t work.

“Thankfully Adrian (Costello) was happy for me to come back. It wasn’t easy when I came back because I lost fitness and form. Towards the end of the season I got it back a bit.

“I want to have a full season at one club and hopefully that’s Garforth. I’ve got no intention of leaving Garforth this year because I want to see what I can do over a full season.”