Toolstation NCEL Premier Division
Maltby Main
Maltby’s title as perennial strugglers has firmly been thrown out of the window after their best league finish in 20-years. The Main are now firmly a serious Premier Division outfit and capable of beating anyone. Although Spencer Fearn is playing down ambitions for the next ten months, privately hopes must be high.
Joint Managers
Mark Askwith & Spencer Fearn
Maltby Main joint managers Mark Askwith (left) and Spencer Fearn (right)
Fearn is the public face of the management team and he has wide football experience as he was the owner of East Fife for a while and then most recently the vice-chairman of Stockport County. He moved into management in January 2015 at Sheffield & Hallamshire Senior League side Joker where he linked up with friend of over 30-years Askwith. Maltby gained their services a few months later and the pair have done brilliantly since.
Opening Five Fixtures
Squires Gate (H) – Emirates FA Cup, Athersley Rec (H), Garforth Town (A), Hemsworth Miners Welfare (A), Thackley (A).
Player Movement
In: Reece Wesley (Parkgate)
Out: N/A
One to Watch
Ryan Carroll
Young Maltby Main striker Ryan Carroll
The young striker was a key player during Maltby’s brilliant second half of the season. He is going to be dangerous again.
Prediction
Top half
Interview
Maltby Main joint manager Spencer Fearn
Let’s see where the voyage takes us. That’s the message from Spencer Fearn as Maltby Main set sail on Saturday.
Despite achieving the club’s best finish in 20 years, Maltby are not setting bold aims.
“We only set one target and that is to get to 45 points as soon as possible,” joint manager Fearn told Non League Yorkshire.
“To have a better season than the last would be wonderful, but we are realistic.
“We will be operating with one of the smallest budgets in the division again and what has surprised me this summer is that how teams from a division below have been offered more money to some of our targets that our budget will allow.
“Some of the money getting banded about is ridiculous and those teams spending big will have an added pressure as they are expected to win the division. They have the pressure, we don’t have any.
“Last year was built on a tremendous desire and team spirit and I am positive that will be the same again this season.
“We have a great set of lads again and some cracking young players that we expect to feature regularly. We have made tremendous progress in terms of adding top coaches like Andy McKnight to the club and developing a very good reserve team and academy which will allow us to continue to develop young lads for our first team.
“What has been pleasing is that a handful of the lads who we thought may take six or so months to be ready are featuring for us now. Mixed with the experienced spine we have with quality lads such as Hill, Darker, Reilly, Wesley and Hopewell, we are looking forward to seeing how they develop further.”
Maltby were never expected to get anywhere near the top half last season, but alongside their FA Cup run, their results have helped revive the interest in the club in the area.
Fearn even admits that the club’s hierarchy were shocked at their progress.
“I think we surprised a lot, particularly our chairman Wilf Race,” he added. “The first half of the season was ok and it took Mark and myself up until Christmas to really understand this level.
“If you look at the second part of the season, we would have been 3rd / 4th in the form table. This was down to a tremendous effort from the lads and developing a style of play suited to the NCEL. It was an absolute pleasure to work with such a great set of lads.
“There has been a good reaction to how we have progressed locally and you can tell you are doing ok when teams from the Evo Stik and Conference want your players, We have had four approached from higher up the pyramid, but they have all committed to Maltby Main for at least another year and want to be part of what we are building.”