New NCEL season preview – Hallam

Toolstation NCEL Division One

The play-offs semi-finals were a bridge too far for Hallam in April. Eventual winners Bottesford Town ended Hallam’s brilliant campaign which saw them lose only one away league fixture in the regular season. Hallam now enter the new campaign with the realistic ambition of regaining the Premier Division place they lost in 2011.

The Manager

Ryan Hindley

Hindley has been in charge at Sandygate since October 2014. He inherited a team that was bottom of the table with zero points after ten games. The change in fortunes for the second oldest club in the world since under his guidance has been remarkable and they’re now a totally different animal.

Opening five games

Worksop Town (A) – Emirates FA Cup, Dronfield Town (A), Hall Road Rangers (A), Brigg Town (A), Rossington Main (H)

Player Movement

In: Tom Roebuck (Shirebrook Town), Jake Currie (Shirebrook Town), Jack Hargreaves (Shirebrook Town), Callum Greaves (Chesterfield), Wes Hill (Shirebrook Town), Scott Bates (Handsworth Parramore), Matty Ord (Shirebook Town).

Out: Harry Bamforth (Handsworth Parramore).

One to watch

Michael Blythen

Everyone is talking about Jake Currie, but Blythen is the still man of the moment for Hallam. His goal-scoring haul propelled Hallam to the play-offs last season and he’s bound to be prolific again.

Prediction

Title challengers

Interview

Up is the only way Hallam manager Ryan Hindley is looking as the new season dawns.

He’s kept his star players and in his own words he’s added more quality.

“Everybody I speak to thinks we should be favourites to win it because of the players we have signed,” Hindley told Non League Yorkshire.

“I don’t mind that title, it doesn’t bother me. The five to look out for this year are us, AFC Emley, Pontefract, Penistone and Knaresborough. I’m only basing this on pre-season, but all of those five are going to be looking to get into that top two.

“I just hope we stick together because we are looking good. I know most managers would say this, but this is the strongest Hallam team I’ve ever known in terms of pace, power and goals at the top end of the pitch.

“We know where the net is. Jake Currie scored four in 25 minutes against Retford.

“I believe I have a team of winners this year. There are no shrinking violets.

“I’ll see it as a failure if we’re not in the top five. You look at Mansfield, Bottesford, Hemsworth who got promoted, they built their sides over a couple of years. We’ve built our side over the last two years.

“We’ve kept the nucleus of our main actors and sprinkled a bit of magic in with the likes of Jake Currie, Matty Ord and Jack Hargreaves. We’ve still got the likes of Michael Blythen, Steve Brammer, Micah Bishop, James Reed and Simon Minrfin.

“I know it is a big statement, but I think Michael Blythen and Jake Currie will be the best front two in the two (NCEL) divisions and I’m really excited about watching them two this year.”

Hindley successfully steered Hallam from relegation danger in his first six months in charge before the play-offs bid last season. A lot has changed for the better at Sandygate in the past 20 months and Hindley admits his club have come a long way.

“Progression for me has to be promotion,” he said.

“We finished sixth last year and while I know fifth or fourth would be seen as progression, for me we have to get promoted, without putting pressure on people.

“I’m going for promotion. The club as a whole with the great people and great chairman have helped progress this club no end.

“Crowds are up 70% and there is a really good feel around the club. I said in one of my first interviews with you that Hallam was a place where everyone looked at the start of the season and thought ‘when have we got Hallam because that’s six points’?

“I think it is role reversal now as people will look now and say ‘oh god, when have we got them’?

“That is a testament to the players and staff that we have got. We have gone from being a guaranteed six points for teams, whereas now teams will be happy to get a point. I think that sums how far we have come.”

Their league schedule doesn’t actually start until the 13th because of the FA Cup at rivals Worksop Town on Saturday.

It is a game that is likely to attract in the region of 700 people to Sandy Lane, but Hindley knows his side face a tough ask against the Premier Division side.

“I hope it is a good game because there is nothing better than the second oldest club in the world playing the fourth oldest club in the world,” he said.

“It is a local derby so there is some extra spice. We’re the underdogs and we’ll give it our best shot.

“It will be a cracking game with a big crowd and brilliant atmosphere. These are the games that you’re in it for.

“There’s no pressure on us as Worksop are a league above.”