EV2 Sheffield & Hallamshire County Senior League Premier Division
Darren Hepworth wants reprieved Hepworth United to target an ambitious top five finish next season.
The former Emley AFC chief has set his stall out following the news that Hepworth will remain as a top flight club due to Wakefield AFC’s promotion to Step 6.
“The planning would have been the same for both (relegation or reprieve) so if we had gone into the First Division, the goal would have been to get straight back up,” Hepworth told Non League Yorkshire.
“It doesn’t change anything in terms of planning, but it does make it a little easier in terms of selling the ambition – particularly if we want to bring new faces in which is what we’re trying to do.
“We’re obviously delighted to be still in the Prem and it is a very strong Division and there’s good teams coming up which will strengthen it even more.
“It is really competitive and we want to be part of it and that’s why we want to set the club up to be competitive and to aim for a top four or five finish.
“It would be a massive achievement to do that.
“To quote Arsene Wenger, ‘top four being a Champions League spot, it is like winning a trophy’.
“For me, Hepworth United making the top four or five would be the same thing.
“ It would be like winning a trophy for us and would make a real statement.
“It is an ambition and a real challenging one.
“Teams like Dodworth, Swinton, Wombwell Town, Wombwell Main are very strong sides and I’ve been really impressed with the standard.
“There’s some good managers, teams are well-drilled and I like the league. They are running it like the NCEL.”
Hepworth’s preparations for the 2022/23 season are already well underway.
His players return for pre-season training on the 20th June and plum friendlies against Toolstation NCEL sides Worsbrough Bridge and Armthorpe Welfare are in the diary.
The ambition of their manager and the quality of his signing wish-list is transparent in his first capture as ex-Emley midfielder Joe Brennan has committed to the cause.
“(Joe Brennan) has the calibre of what we are looking for,” he said.
“We want to blend that experience with some of the younger lads who have coming through.
“We’re looking for silk and steel because it is such a competitive Division and we need a squad.
“I’m looking to build a squad of 22-23 players.
“What we won’t be doing is opening it up to everybody because it just doesn’t work.
“Having 40 players signed on and some of them deciding when they can play and when they can’t doesn’t work for me.
“We’re looking to build a competitive squad and bring in some experience and Joe fits that bill.
“We’re looking for similar players who have played at higher levels and who can not only strengthen us, but also really help bring the younger lads on.
“We have some under 17s and 18s who have played first team football since I have come in and done really well.
“Matty Brooke, Alfie Schofield and Ethan McIntosh, to name three, have been outstanding and we’re talking 17-year-olds and 18-year-olds. Alfie is 16 and it is great to see them come in and show the seasoned players a thing or two.”
After his appointment in February, Hepworth insisted he would not putting his Emley band back together.
That is still the case.
“The stance hasn’t changed,” he said.
“I have been the manager for three months and I’ve had chance to really evaluate where the club is and where it can go and I just feel that to be competitive at the level we want to be at then we do need to recruit as well retain and bring through (the youth system).
“It isn’t about bringing anybody in, it is about bringing in players who will improve what we have got.
“To improve what we have got we have to go out and find players who have played at a higher level.”