NPL Division One East
Mike Thompson admits Bridlington Town’s start to the new season could not have gone much better.
Brid sit seventh with nine points from six games, probably defying many’s pre-season predictions.
Thompson is thrilled and even suggests his side should have more points on the board.
“I think people will be surprised and even internally within the club,” Thompson told Non League Yorkshire.
“The fanbase are over the moon with where we are at.
“I’m not a doom and gloomer but in my opinion we can be better than we are.
“I feel we dropped points against Ossett and I feel we dropped points when we played Long Eaton on the first game of the season.
“We have had some superb results and you look at the Worksop draw, nobody outside of our changing room would have given us a chance.
“I look at the first competitive game against Whitley Bay in the FA Cup and we were superb.
“We pretty much had the game wrapped up inside 30 minutes.
“Going down to ten men at Lincoln and scoring two goals with ten men, that shows the character of what we have in the dressing room this year.
“Those are the positives and we know we can play and we have quality.
“If we can get consistency week-in-week-out and build momentum, we’re definitely in a position where we can push on and be more progressive than the club were last year.”
Brid’s start is even more impressive because of their recruitment model.
Ali Ayemir has stole the headlines with his goals and he is a player effectively untested in the NPL.
“The club is really well looked after by (chairman) Pete (Smurthwaite) and it is sustainable,” Thompson said.
“What you have to contend with is clubs in this league absolutely propel money to get to the next level.
“We can’t compete with that.
“We have to make sure we give boys opportunities and look hard for lads around this level who we believe can do things with decent coaching.
“Ali is a fine example of that.
“He didn’t really get the amount of game-time he is capable of in the Prem with Grantham last year.
“He has come in with us and scored five goals in six games.
“He has been outstanding.
“I’m playing boys to their strengths.
“We had a really good conversation with Lewis Dennison about where the lad wanted to play.
“When I played with him he was a right-back and a decent one.
“We have given him the chance to play higher up the pitch and he has been a focal point for us and he’s scored four in six.
“We’re getting the best of the boys we have got.
“What we are also doing is bringing in boys who potentially they wouldn’t be at the fore-front of someone else’s recruitment plans in this league.
“I know what we can offer them in respect of environment and coaching ability to get the best out of them.”