Brian Davey believes Knaresborough have laid the foundations for years to come this season
Brian Davey believes Knaresborough Town have laid down the foundations for years to come this season.
Davey points to the success that the second, third and academy teams are having as the reason for his claim.
The Knaresborough boss has had to use youth in their Toolstation NCEL Division One campaign because of injuries and suspensions and his young charges have come to the fore.
“We’re looking strong as a squad now and it is young,” he said.
“We always say it, the ‘keeper is 20, the right-back is 20 and we have a good young side that are getting better and better.
“They’re getting experience at this level. It is Mitch Hamilton’s first year playing regularly at this level. Brad Walker has only had three games this level, while Luke McCrum has come out of the academy.
“Matty Pascal has come out of the academy and this side will get better and better and at the moment we’re not losing games so we can only get better.
“The reserves went and won at Otley last week and I think the club is in the best position it has ever been in.
“Last week the third team went and won at Kirk Deighton, who are one of the favourites for that cup.
“The academy beat Scarborough in midweek and as a club we are getting better and better. In a couple of years when these kids come through, there’ll be a good side here.”
Knaresborough are visiting league leaders AFC Emley tomorrow – a match that would have been viewed as a top of the table clash in pre-season.
After winning the League Cup last season, Knaresborough had hoped to mount a promotion challenge.
Their plans blew up in smoke early up after a horrendous injury crisis left them struggling to field a team, one that they have got through.
Davey added: “It put immense pressure on me because we had a squad of 19 and at one time we had nine or ten missing.
“We were looking at the reserve and under 19s side to bring players in. When players coming back, they weren’t fit and we had to play them through games to get them fit.
“It was a hard time. At the moment we have just two missing, back then it was ten.
“It was one of the hardest times I have had as manager here because we have had six years of non-stop success.
“I think there are four trophies from last year in the cabinet and it is disappointing when you go into the season with high hopes and then go through a bad run.
“All the players knew we would get through it and we did and we’re looking stronger as a team.”
Colin Heath will serve the final match of his four game suspension tomorrow, while Matt Duerden is on the verge of returning to the side after breaking his collarbone earlier this season.