Toolstation NCEL Division One
The excitement is building at Beverley Town and Dave Ricardo says his club can’t wait for the season to start.
The floodlights are almost installed and the squad is ready for combat with two weeks to go until the curtain-raiser at Athersley Rec.
“When you get to this stage of pre-season you just want to get the season started,” Ricardo told Non League Yorkshire.
“We have three friendlies left and then three sessions before it starts.
“We just want to get through these next three games without any serious injuries.
“Everything is on the up.
“The floodlights are going in as we speak which is really important for the club and the town so we want to get cracking.”
Ricardo has radically altered the squad which won promotion out of the Humber Premier League under new Bridlington Town manager Mike Thompson.
Goalkeeper Sam Riches has joined alongside the likes of Hall Road Rangers players Alex Knaggs, Tom Bennett, James Piercy and Craig Muirhead.
Beverley have played four pre-season games so far – including the 6-2 win at Frickley Athletic – and Ricardo is thrilled with the way it is shaping up.
“We’ve basically got a new squad together,” he said.
“The lads from last season have had to blend in with the new lads we have brought in.
“We’ve probably got four-or-five of the lads from the last couple of years and we have around 16 new faces in.
“They are blending really well and they’ll get better as a unit.
“In terms of effort and endeavour the sessions have been fantastic.
“They have bought into what Billy (Gill) and Stave (Mulligan) have put on and there is a great amount of willingness to learn and impress.”
Ricardo has also spoken of his sadness about Hall Road’s decision to quit the NCEL and join the Humber Premier League.
Ricardo has served Rangers as a player, title-winning manager between 2016 and 2017 and finally joint boss with Leon Sewell last season.
“It is terrible,” he said.
“They have their reasons for it and knowing (chairman) Dave (Reader) they will have a business plan to get themselves back on track.
“Nobody likes to see that happen, especially a former club.
“I’m praying it is going to be temporary.
“But times are hard.
“It is hard to get the sponsors in and Hull is a Rugby town.
“Even in the glory days of Hall Road they would never have 150+ coming down to watch them.
“When we won the league (in 2017) we upped the attendances but not to the figures that North Ferriby pick up.
“It is not easy and people in the game like chairman realise how hard it is to get support.
“You also need a good army of volunteers.”