Season Preview
Toolstation NCEL Premier Division
Handsworth
Handsworth are heading into their second season back at Olivers Mount on the wonderful 3G surface and Russ Eagle wants to see more progression from his talented squad.
Manager
Russ Eagle
The experienced 2012 Toolstation NCEL Division One title-winner is in his second spell in charge of Handsworth having returned in 2019.
Opening Five Fixtures
Silsden (h), AFC Mansfield – FA Cup (h), Grimsby Borough (a), Winterton Rangers (h), Garforth Town (h)
Notable Movement
In: Mitch Dunne (Handsworth), Billy Mole (Hall Green United), Ben Teasdale, Sam Fewkes.
One to Watch
Mitch Dunne
The striker has a growing reputation and if he carries on the form he showed at Maltby Main and Hallam then the nets are going to be bulging.
Interview
Handsworth manager Russ Eagle reckons the promotions of the three big guns has altered the ball-game in the Toolstation NCEL Premier Division.
Yorkshire Amateur and Liversedge were expected to run away with it last season, and along with Bridlington Town are now in the NPL Premier League.
With no clear front-runner for the title, Eagle believes it will be an exciting season.
“I think all three teams were more than equipped for the next level and probably two of the three are equipped for the level after,” Eagle told Non League Yorkshire.
“What does me is people saying ‘oh they’re got this and that’, but I’ll tell you, any gaffer in our league would die for anything for like that.
“I think them going opens it for other clubs to say ‘right we can progress, we should be better’ and that’s what we are striving to do.
“In the next two or three years we want to be where Liversedge, Yorkshire Amateur and Brid have gone and that’s the next level.”
Asked who his tip for the title was, he said: “I’ll not say favourites on results of pre-season because you can never judge on who people are signing but I think there’s three or four teams who will be up there from the start right to the end.
“There’s no obvious favourite though. I couldn’t stand here and say x, y and z will be top three.
“You could last year, quite easily.
“Any ten will be looking to win it this year.
“It makes it fantastic because you’re planning on a Tuesday and Thursday for a Saturday game you know you have that expectation.
“You’re not looking and thinking ‘oh they’ve got him and him’.
“You think now ‘yeah we have got that opportunity to go there and get a point or three’.
“Everybody’s got to be looking at it like I am surely?”
Eagle has recruited well with additions such as Mitch Dunne, Ben Teasdale and Mitch Dunne to add to the experienced bodies like Kyle Jordan, Sam Smith and Tom Roebuck who joined last year.
An array of talented youngsters are at Eagle’s disposal too and the Ambers boss has high hopes for the new season.
“I think it is up there with the strongest sides I have had here,” he said.
“I’m trying to get the right blend of youth and experience.
“We are sustainable and what we have is what we have for the season and it is about trying to get the youth and experience to be consistent.
“Last season we were great for four or five games then we got tanked in two or three and we can’t afford to do that.
“We have to finish in the top six.
“We have progressed in the last two years.
“I know the season didn’t finish, but our aim last year was to finish in the top ten and now we definitely need to be looking at the top six.”
Prediction
Top Six
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