National North
Bradford (Park Avenue) manager Mark Bower hopes the arrival of a trio of new signings is imminent.
Avenue have been down to bare bones in recent weeks, forcing them to seek reinforcements for the squad.
The Avenue chief is hopeful at least one will be signed in time for Saturday’s home clash with Kettering Town.
“There’s been good aspects to our performances in the last few weeks,” Bower told Non League Yorkshire.
“Obviously there are things we can better but one thing we are working really hard on is trying to get a few new faces in to freshen us up and add to the numbers because we are very thin.
“We’re hoping to get one in, if not two by the weekend and there’s another one we’re hoping for at the start of next week.
“Ideally by the time we have Telford away a week on Saturday we should have at least three in and that’s what we are aiming at.
“We’re pretty close with certainly of two of those.
“A couple we are looking at are permanent signings and it is a bit of a mix (of experience and youth) across the board.
“We’re always looking at young ones to push them on like we have done with numerous ones so there will be a couple of younger ones but more of an established one as well.”
A lot of Bower’s signings this season have been loan players from Football League clubs rather than below.
Bower says he and his coaching staff to do scan the market for players playing in the Northern Premier League and NCEL but he points out that it is not exact science when looking below.
“There are some (players out there) and we have been watching lower league games, and we’ll be at one tomorrow night,” he said.
“We have Brad Dockerty in our side who has come through that route (from the NCEL).
“There’s been a couple of lads in training recently who have been at that level as well.
“We’re looking at all angles.
“It is easy to say ‘get them in from lower down’ but there’s not too many who come through and an issue you have got from a financial point of view is that there’s teams from two or three levels lower who can pay far more money than us.
“So it is not easy.
“Some lads are keen to progress their careers higher up the ladder, some prefer to play where they are and earn decent money.
“There are all-sorts of factors to bear in mind.
“We have had a lot of lads from below in for training and we’ll continue to do so.”
The John Deacey era was the golden period at Avenue for players being plucked from lower leagues.
Deacey was very successful in this department – Matt Dempsey, Paul Walker and Ross Daly are three successful stories.
But the National North has evolved since Deacey left in 2015.
Full-time teams have emerged and Bower says the standard is now a bigger leap for young players who are still learning and are from the NPL and NCEL.
“It is probably more difficult to step up (than it was ten years ago),” he said.
“I think the level is better and you only have to look at the likes of Kidderminster this season and Chorley last season getting so far in the FA Cup.
“There’s really good quality at this level and full-time teams and I think pro clubs are more leaning towards to letting lads go out on loan to this level than they did before.
“I think younger players look at it more of a springboard than they did in the past.
“The quality is definitely better so it is tough for lads coming up.
“Brad Dockerty is a prime example for us.
“I think it has taken him a little bit of time to find his feet and get used to the level.
“He’s improved his all-round game up to a level where his quality shines through on a more consistent basis.”
Youngster Rob Guilfoyle made his return to Avenue as a late substitute in the heart-breaking injury-time 1-0 defeat at Southport.
The striker has been out on loan at Pontefract Collieries and Bower says it has been beneficial.
“We’re pleased with how the loan spell has gone,” he said.
“He’s really enjoyed it there and he got what he needed which is minutes under his belt and exposure to men’s football which he hadn’t had before.
“He’s back in and around the squad and he’s got to train well and do well when he gets on-the-pitch to try and get an extended spell in the team.”
The Southport defeat was their second of 2022.
Avenue flew out of the traps by beating Chester before the defeat to leaders Gateshead.
“It has been a mixed start to the year,” Bower said.
“We had a good win against Chester.
“We saw Gateshead on the Monday night and they beat us comfortably but to be fair I think they’re the best side in the league.
“That’s twice we have played them now and they have been really good.
“With Southport we were a little unfortunate.
“We defended really well for 92 minutes but they are really strong at set-pieces and we had lost a three of our more experienced physical presences like Adam Nowakowski, Ryan Toulson and Mitch Lund when they had a corner in the fifth minute of injury-time.
“Unfortunately we just couldn’t manage to defend it as well as we had done numerous times earlier in the game and that cost us a point.”
Ryan Toulson (dead leg) is a doubt for the Kettering game but Bower says Jordan Windass and Nicky Clee could be involved.