Paul Stansfield claims he would be “devastated” if Knaresborough Town did not finish in the top ten of the Toolstation NCEL Premier Division.
The 2018 Division One champions finished ninth in their first campaign in the NCEL’s top flight and Stansfield expects his side to match or better last season.
“We have set targets and we’re punching above our weight when you look at other teams in the league,” Stansfield told Non League Yorkshire.
“We are aspirational though and we have high expectations of a special group of lads who don’t play for the cash and who love it here.
“I would be devastated if we were not in the top ten. We have no right to be, but I think we should be.
“I have thought about finishing in the top three and the good thing for us is that there is no pressure on us.
“There will be serious pressure on some teams to go up. The league has always been the toughest to get out of because of only one going up.
“Because three go up, a lot of teams have said ‘let’s have a look at it’. Some big signings have gone on during the summer and it is only good for the league. The quality is excellent right across the league.”
A major upset of Knaresborough winning promotion to the BetVictor League for the first time in their history would represent a big step-up.
But Stansfield believes the club is in a good condition and capable of handling such a rise.
“The fanbase is massive and it has grown massively in the last few years and we’re now averaging 200 for a home game,” he said.
“It is an average crowd for a BetVictor side and we have space to develop the ground. The club have no debt, it is in the black so we’re in a good place.
“The club is set up to do it (make the step-up to the BetVictor), but it would be different challenge for the club.
“I don’t really want to think about it because it is a long way off, but the club would still have a lot of thinking to do if we got up because of the coach journeys.”
A major breakthrough in the summer came in the recruitment department with the additions of Eccleshill United quartet Dom Smith, Andy Cooper, Tom Dugdale and Luke Harrop.
Knaresborough have always benefited from having few rival clubs around, but the capture of the Eccleshill four pleased Stansfield because of where they are travelling from.
“It took four years of battling with Harrogate Railway and them taking our best players,” he said.
“We have had to go through that. With us winning the league and them going down, we have arm-wrestled them.
“But it is still tough because we’re isolated. To get lads from Leeds this season is massive. I’m really chuffed that they’re willing to come.
“It is the first time that we have been able to attract players from Leeds. It has always been too far (for players from Leeds) to come for what we pay them.
“We got Luke first and and I think the others saw that someone was willing to do it (travel from Leeds).”
Harrop was Stansfield’s top target during the summer, adding to array of attacking already at the club in the likes of Brad Walker and Adam Baker.
Harrop had been a key part of Sean Regan’s Eccleshill squad which stayed together for a few years and won promotion out of Division One in 2018.
“We’ve got strikers, but we felt we needed to go and get another one and Luke Harrop scores against us every-time he plays against us,” he said.
“He is a great lad and we’re really pleased with who we have recruited in the summer. We don’t have the big budget that other teams have so we have to be quite clever and we have picked three or four really good footballers up.
“We have brought in proven quality. They are super lads. Coops (Andy Cooper) couldn’t play on Saturday (at Handsworth) and he didn’t even get on (as a substitute) against Garforth and there’s no bother.
“You always try and improve your squad and we also signed Dom Smith as well and Tom Dugdale for when he’s back.”
Harrop is expected to start against title favourites Yorkshire Amateur at Manse Lane tomorrow. He “ran himself into ground” and his “exhaust” fell off in the 1-1 draw with Garforth Town on Tuesday night.
Josh Garbutt (ankle), Rob Youhill (ankle) and Conor Donoghue (toe) are out though.
Stansfield knows his side will up against it against the Ammers, but he has faith they can deliver an upset.
“We’re said to the lads if we play like we did against Garforth, we think we’ll give them a really good game.
“Yorkshire Amateur have some excellent players who have been around and I have loads of respect for them, but we think we can cause them some problems.
“It isn’t going to be easy and we’ll have to be at the absolute top of our game. But it is well in our capabilities to go and do it.
“I’d say we definitely have more than half of chance, especially at home.”
If Knaresborough are to stun the Ammers, they have to score. That might sound like stating the obvious, but scoring has proved tricky in their opening four matches.
Harrop’s 64th minute strike against Garforth is the only time they have hit the net.
“Not scoring has been story of our season,” Stansfield added.
“We’re playing well, we have good players, we are just missing chances. When it clicks, it will click and we’ll give someone a right good hiding.
“You look at our side: Luke Harrop gets 20 goals a season and he will. He scored on Tuesday and I’m so pleased for him.
“Brad Walker gets 20 goals a season and he will again this season. Adam Baker will get goals, Josh Garbutt will get goals. We’ll get goals, we just haven’t had the break of the ball.
“I’m waiting for us to get a break of the ball this season. It is only early doors, the break will come.”