Season Preview
Toolstation NCEL Premier Division
Emley AFC
Emley are hoping to push on and get off to a far stronger start than last season’s early struggles.
Last Season’s Position 9th
Manager Richard Tracey
The former Ossett Albion manager and ex-Carlisle United striker was appointed Emley chief in 2019 and he ended the club’s ‘almost lifelong’ search for the holy grail (promotion to Step 5) last year.
Opening Five Fixtures North Ferriby (a), Glossop North End (a) – FA Cup, Thackley (h), Handsworth (a), Golcar United (h)
Notable Transfer Movement The capture of popular Handsworth captain Rikki Paylor is one of their significant transfer dealings this summer.
One to Watch Joe Jagger
Interview
Richard Tracey wants Emley AFC to be competing at the top end of the table.
Emley finished ninth last season following a late rally and Tracey wants his men to push on.
“We want to be completive and be up there,” Tracey told Non League Yorkshire.
“We know we’re not in a financial position to compete with some of the clubs in this league.
“Two of the bigger budgets have probably been promoted into it in Ferriby and Hallam and you look what others are spending.
“We’ll be aiming for a top six finish as a strong finish to show progress but we know that it is going to be tough.”
Tracey out-lined why he believes his side are in a better position than last season.
“We’re definitely stronger,” he said.
“I don’t think we have gone and signed five or six players who are going to replace starters.
“I think we have given ourselves five-or-six more options.
“It is not an upheaval.
“We have only really lost Callum Charlton.
“I think as a squad we are considerably stronger and I do believe in the quality we had last year and we have got more players with that quality so we should be more competitive.”
Tracey puts last season’s bad start down to reasons out of their control and he feels his men are well-placed to avoid deja-vu.
“It would be a massive disappointment but that’s inevitable because we want to win games,” he said.
“Last year, getting up to speed wasn’t easy.
“We had such a disrupted pre-season it was frightening.
“We had some training sessions where we had six or seven players because people in car schools had got covid.
“It knocked us for six.
“Even though we didn’t start great we knocked out a really strong Congleton side out of the FA Cup and a strong Longridge side out of the FA Vase.
“There were spells where we knew we were good enough but we couldn’t get on that run and turn it around on the pitch.
“By strengthening the squad we hope we won’t have a similar start this year.”
Prediction Top Half