Toolstation NCEL Premier Division
Handsworth Parramore manager Jas Colliver
Jas Colliver believes Handsworth Parramore lived up to their strong reputation of being a club that develops top young players this season.
The famous Handsworth conveyor belt has been working overtime since Colliver, who is a graduate of their youth system himself, took charge last year.
In their latest victory, the 3-0 win at Garforth Town, Parramore had the likes of youngsters Jed Phillips, Oli Yates, Parirs Dixon, James Leverton, Will Eades and Brad Nicholson in their squad. All academy graduates.
Colliver, the former Staveley Miners Welfare, Clipstone and Sheffield FC manager, says it is a success story for the campaign and admits it bodes well for the future.
“We have tried throughout the season to involve lads from the under 21s and reserves,” Colliver told Non League Yorkshire.
“I think it is vital that you do that. I think when we counted at Christmas, we had used 12 lads. If we are trying to create a club mentality where we want to keep young players, you have to give them opportunities and we have done throughout the season. It is important that they see that progression.
“It also makes it easier for the youth managers to recruit players because they can roll off names of players who have come through the system and played for the first team to parents.
“There are loads of examples of players who have come through the system over the years.
“I go to as many reserves and under 21s games as I can and there are some who are not quite ready, but there’s players that we’re keeping a close eye on.
“I’m also very passionate about us training together. On Wednesday the reserves were down to the bare bones and I actually played for them. I’m still aching now.
“But wherever I have been we have played young lads. We are a young team and in terms of where we are now compared to at the start of the season we feel we are more balanced and we have more about us.
“People will look at us and say it has been a disappointing year, I think it has been a transitional season. It is a season that we are not going around boasting about, but we have moved forwards on-and-off-the-pitch.
“We have a good mix of youth and experience and if we can keep this group of players together then we can kick on next season. With young players too, they are only going to get better. “
Oli Yates was praised by Colliver for setting up the third goal at Garforth
Young Brad Nicholson on the attack for Handsworth
Jed Phillips has been a shining light for Handsworth
Handsworth are fourth in the table and have lost once in 14 games. However, to finish in the top two they would require a few slips from AFC Mansfield, Pickering Town or Pontefract Collieries.
Early season form has cost Parramore, but Colliver says their results and performances since Christmas gives food for thought for next season.
“We have lost too many games,” he said when asked about Parramore’s hopes of finishing in the top two.
“Everybody knows in the NCEL that you can’t afford to lose more than four or five games. The early games cost us. We were too inconsistent and we didn’t have the feel that we have around the place now.
“We now have a good group of players who all pull in the right direction. The lads enjoy training, they enjoy turning up and we give them that platform to enjoy it.
“At the start of the season we were probably going back to front too quick, long too quick. Now we’re trying to play because we have altered our style of play.
“It is definitely suiting us now because players understand how we want to play. At the start of the season we didn’t have a system or a style of play. Now it is clear how to we want to play.
“We have had a big turnover of players over the course of the season, but we are now operating with a squad that I believe with a few additions will be good enough to kick on next season.”
Parramore host Harrogate Railway tomorrow night before ending their campaign with matches with Hall Road Rangers, Staveley and Pontefract. They are still in the League Cup too.
Colliver’s men go into the final throes with confidence after the win at Garforth – where the performances pleased the Ambers boss.
“I thought we did alright,” he said.
“Garforth had played Saturday-Tuesday-Thursday and then today and I said it would take its toll.
“We were out of the traps straightaway. We had said to get at them in the first 20 minutes and we did. It was game over at 2-0.
“We were a bit sloppy in the second half, but because of the heat it was going to be difficult to keep the tempo.
“We didn’t really have to work for the third goal. We told the lads to press them because Garforth were going to be tired. It was our right-back (Oli Yates) who did the pressing in the bottom corner. He won the ball back and put a good cross in.
“I was pleased for him because he’s a young lad who is taking on board everything we are asking of. It just showed the intensity of how we played today and how we want to play in our remaining fixtures.”