West Yorkshire League Premier Division
Mark Pitts wants to turn Carlton Athletic into a real force again in the West Yorkshire League.
The highly-rated Pitts, one of the WYL’s most successful managers ever, won ten trophies inside five years in his first spell as Carlton boss, including the unprecedented three consecutive Premier Division title wins between 2016 and 2019
He returned this week after replacing John Moore and Pitts explained his long and short-term visions.
“I don’t think you can replicate (the first spell’s success) because it was a moment in time and it was done with a different era of players,” Pitts told Non League Yorkshire.
“There’s a couple still there but it is pretty much a new squad of players.
“I went to watch them on Saturday and I’ve got a few ideas where we can strengthen.
“I don’t think they are far off being a good side again.
“Whether I can get that out of them, time will tell.
“I’m just looking to get back in there and guide them back to where they should be.
“Next season I’ll be looking to challenge.
“I’ve done it before and I feel I know what players I’ll need and what we need to do to get them back (to the top).
“Carlton are in a good place.
“They have a good first team squad and they have built a really good reserve side with a lot of good young players.
“There’s eight first team games to go and nothing to play for so it is a chance to look at some of the reserve team lads who haven’t had the opportunity before.
“That’s what it is all about, plucking local talent and hoping they rise to the challenge and then grow their wings and fly away eventually into the next level.
“That’s when you have done your job.”
Whilst Pitts intends to give youth a chance, he does agree that the pandemic has altered the landscape for Step 7 football.
Numerous clubs say they have struggled to field sides or at least consistent teams this season as commitment has been poor.
Pitts is not surprised.
“There’s work and I think young lads especially, they have lost two years of the lives and missed going out, holidays with mates, partying,” he said.
“I know if I was 21 and had lost two years, I’d want to catch-up on what I had lost.
“I think it has changed the game (for Step 7).
“When I first started in management there was loads and loads of local talent that you could just pluck from.
“Especially my area which is South Leeds, Rothwell, Robin Hood, Carlton, there doesn’t seem to be many young players coming through.
“But I think that’s because if they come out of academies they just want to go straight to the NCEL and want to side-step playing Step 7.
“But if they’re committed, that’s the league for them.
“We’re still living in uncertain times but I think once as everyone has got back to normal and got their holidays in, I’d hope people will want to get back playing football.
“But you don’t know because it is also a generation thing.
“You get frowned on for it but it is a playstation generation.
“When I was a kid you’d be out playing football with your mates on the park.
“You don’t see kids kicking a ball about as much anymore.”
To return to Carlton, Pitts stepped down as one of Ian Walker’s assistants at Toolstation NCEL Division One side Nostell Miners Welfare.
Pitts had joined them after a successful spell as joint manager of Goole AFC – which ended controversially due to his very bizarre sacking – and the new Carlton chief says he is sad to leave Crofton Community Centre.
“I got a taste of management in the NCEL at Goole when me and Simon Portrey took over for those fated six games,” he said.
“Ian then gave me a lifeline because I wasn’t doing anything and I didn’t really want to go back to Step 7 at the time.
“The long-term aim was to ty and get a job in the NCEL but getting one is a different thing and in reality I thought I would have to be very lucky to get something as I haven’t built up a reputation in the NCEL.
“Nostell is a brilliant club to work for.
“Kev (Allsop) is a good chairman and always supportive.
“They have good volunteers and Ian has been brilliant along with Wayne (Penny Larter) and young Ryan Smith the coach so I’ve had a really good time.
“But I’m used to being in charge and I was missing making the decisions and being in the hot-seat.
“The flip side is I’ve gained a lot of good experience from working with Ian.
“He’s a really knowledgeable guy and I’ve learnt a lot from him and I can’t thank him enough for everything he has done for me.
“When the offer came from Carlton, I live half a mile away and it is my hometown club and I’ve had a lot of success there.
“I just thought it was time to get back in and do what I can do.”
Although he is committed to Carlton, Pitts has not ruled out returning to the NCEL as a manager if the right opportunity came up.
“It would depend on what it was,” he said.
“There’s lot of factors to take into account to manage in that league.
“You can never say never.”