Season Preview
Toolstation NCEL Premier Division
North Ferriby
North Ferriby have completed one level of their mission to move back up the pyramid and the club openly want to quickly jump up to the next step.
Last Season’s Position 2nd in Division One (promoted via the play-offs)
Manager Chris Bolder
The former Guiseley midfielder served the old Ferriby as a player and manager and he steered the phoenix club to promotion via the play-offs last season.
Opening Five Fixtures Emley (h), Northallerton Town (h) – FA Cup, Albion Sports (a), Hallam (h), Eccleshill United (a).
Notable Transfer Movement Higher level players Danny Earl and Liam Dickens along with Glasshoughton Welfare striker Lewis Stephens are the confirmed new arrivals.
One to Watch Danny Earl
Interview
There’s no beating around the bush from North Ferriby manager Chris Bolder.
North Ferriby are aiming to win promotion back to the Northern Premier League at the first attempt following their promotion from Division One.
“I’m confident and we have a load of self-belief in the dressing room,” Bolder told Non League Yorkshire.
“We have retained nearly all of our squad from last season so the mindset will be the same.
“We will aim to stride to be in the upper echelons.
“You have to have that aspiration and for us (winning the league) is the aim.
“Whether it is something that is achievable remains to be seen.
“We have not brought players in and not retained the lads to be happy with finishing mid-table.
“For us it is going to be extremely difficult and we’ll have the same opinion of ten other managers and ten other clubs that we want to win the league.”
Ferriby were pipped to the Division One crown by Hallam. Fortunately they had the play-offs to fall back onto.
Promotion via second place is possible in the Premier Division but Bolder admits because of the lack of play-offs the margin for error is low.
“It is extremely difficult to finish in that top one or two and even then finishing second there’s no guarantee of going up,” he said.
“Traditionally when there has been only one promotion place and only the champions go up, you more-or-less have to have a near perfect season to get out of this Division.
“You can’t afford to drop points.”
The task is difficult as well because of the fierce competition for the title.
“I think people said Division One last year was the most competitive it has been for a long time and the Prem was the least competitive it has been for a long time,” he said.
“I think you can flip that around this year and definitely say with the teams coming in and the recruitment that has gone off that it is going to be one of the most competitive Premier Divisions you have seen for a good while.
“I would say you could look at around ten teams who could challenge based on where they have come from, recruitment and how they did last year.
“The league is definitely going to be a challenging one.”
Prediction Title Favourites