Toolstation NCEL Division One
Title-winning manager Craig Denton hopes Sandygate is packed out for champions-elect Hallam’s promotion party tomorrow.
Hallam are set to lift the Division One trophy following the clash with doomed Clipstone, a few days since all but sealing the title with the 4-0 beating of Worsbrough Bridge.
Denton, who has been probably been walking on air outside every kind of centre he has been near this week, can’t wait for Saturday.
“If we can get around that 1000 mark, it would be magnificent,” Denton Non League Yorkshire.
“It is going to be a magical day.
“The chairman has a few surprises up his sleeve but it is going to be really nice to be able to pick the trophy up at the end of the game and have a few drinks and celebrate with all the supporters, volunteers, players, management team along with past and present chairmen.
“I’m looking forward to it.
“In recent promotions I’ve held myself back but I’m really going to celebrate on Saturday because myself and the rest of the management team have put a lot of time and effort into it.
“As anyone involved in Non League Football knows, it takes a toll on your family life, work life. It is all go so I’m going to celebrate it when we get over the line.”
Hallam’s promotion marks their first return to the NCEL’s top flight since relegation in 2011.
Hallam clearly head back to the Premier in a good position with a successful team and a huge fanbase but Denton says his club are staying grounded.
“We’ll get the celebrations out of the way and the last game and I’ll sit down with the chairman and we’ll have a look at what the aim and objectives are (going forward),” he said.
“For me, it comes down to recruitment – who we can keep, who might move on and who we can bring in.
“That will give me a rough idea of our aims and objectives.
“I know I have seen a lot of people mentioning about ‘Hallam going up to the NCEL Prem, they’re going to be challenging’.
“That’s not the case.
“I know the club has its feet firmly on the ground and so have I.
“I understand what tools I have.
“Of course as any football manager I’ll be going into the NCEL Prem wanting to win every game but that’s like every other manager.
“We just need to look at what are realistic targets in the summer.”