Shaw Lane Aquaforce manager Craig Elliott believes an NCEL club reaching the FA Vase final is “long overdue”
The FA Vase represents the chance to put the word out about your club, according to Shaw Lane Aquaforce chief Craig Elliott.
Elliott also claims that a Toolstation NCEL side representative in the Wembley final is “long overdue”.
Brigg Town, in 2002, are the last NCEL outfit to win the Vase and also reach the final – which was played at Villa Park that year.
The last NCEL side to appear at Wembley was Tim Hotte’s North Ferriby United in 1997.
Shaw Lane will travel to Ashton Athletic tomorrow for the second qualifying round tie and Elliott told Non League Yorkshire: “The mindset is that every game is important, whether that’s the league, League Cup FA Vase or the Sheffield & Hallamshire Senior Cup.
“There is no way that I’m going to be resting players.
“There is the chance of going far in it and the key to the FA Vase is staying away from the Northern League sides.
“But you never know and you have to look at what Staveley achieved in it a couple of years ago.
“I think it is long overdue for the NCEL to have a club in the final.
“A lot of clubs got there in the 1990s, but since then it has been dominated by the Northern League.
“It would be brilliant if we could do it.
“It’s also a chance to get your club’s name out there and put your club on the map.
“People forget that we are a new club and have only been going a few years.
“I’ve talked to some players and they have never even heard of Shaw Lane before.”
Elliott has been busy in the transfer market in the last two weeks with the signings of midfielders Andrew Fox and Anton Foster.
Fox arrived from Handsworth Parramore last week and Foster, who recently left Goole AFC, joined on Tuesday and could make his debut tomorrow.
“Foxy is a very good NCEL player who did fantastically well for me at Ossett,” Elliott said.
“I’m delighted to get him as I am with getting Anton Foster.
“I’ve brought him in for his experience – simple as that. He’s exactly what we need.”
In the Premier Division, Shaw Lane’s season has been going to plan with the club sitting in second place – one point behind Tadcaster Albion.
Shaw Lane head to Ashton in buoyant mood having thrashed crisis club Thackley 9-0 in midweek and Elliott added: “It was the best we have played for three or four matches.
“We were clinical and we showed the form that we showed in the first few games when we were ripping teams apart.”