EV2 Sheffield & Hallamshire County Senior League Premier Division
Darren Young says Dodworth Miners Welfare have a lot of work to do if they want to be seen as one of the title favourites.
To some Dodworth are the team to beat this season but ahead of the mouth-watering opening day home battle against oncoming storm Wombwell Town (kick off 1.30pm), Young says he is concerned about pre-season displays.
“People who say we are title favourites probably haven’t watched us play in pre-season,” Young told Non League Yorkshire.
“We have been nowhere near and that’s not me winding people up.
“(At Wombwell Main on Wednesday night in the League Cup) we were lucky to win.
“At Askern Miners (in the League Cup) for 60 minutes we were poor and that’s the two competitive we have had.
“Pre-season has been patchy so people telling us we are favourites is them going off historic performances of us been there or three abouts.
“We have been poor so we need to get going as quick as we can because anyone watching us won’t see us as title favourites I can tell you that.
“We want to do well but you have to be honest and say where you at the minute.
“In my eyes (we are not where we should be) and I’ve told them we’re not.
“Anyone in our squad who thought we were has had a reality check in the last two weeks as the performances we have been putting have been nowhere title favourites.”
The visit of Wombwell sees Karl Rose’s men make their long-awaited top flight debut and with Dodworth’s status as a leading light, it is a showcase CSL game and Young, who used to belong to Wombwell along with his assistant James Dudgeon, agrees.
“I think they are going to come and do really well in the league,” he said.
“It is going to be a good test.
“There is obviously history between the two teams so it is probably as tough as it gets for us, especially with the pre-season we have had and the performances we have put in.
“I think it is good time for them to play us and they’ll be wanting to take a scalp to show they mean business.
“As a advert for the league, they are going to show what they’re about and we have there or there abouts for the last few years so it is going to be a really good advert for the league.”
Former Athersley Rec attacker Tom Arnold has joined highly-rated James Byford and young starlet Bailey Cowsell on the new signing list.
Top 3 at least for me