New Tadcaster manager Billy Miller believes everyone at the club is following the same vision
Billy Miller believes everyone at Tadcaster Albion is singing from the same hymn sheet on the pitch, sidelines and terraces.
Miller is nearly a month into his reign at Tadcaster and a lot of items on his to-do-list for the new Toolstation NCEL Premier Division campaign have already been ticked off.
Nearly all of previous manager Paul Marshall’s side have agreed to return for another season at the i2i Sports Stadium.
All the recent player signing announcements have come after Miller called all Marshall’s players to a meeting.
Miller believes all the players were impressed with his plans and aims for the season.
“We have spoke to the players from last year and most of them have pen-to-paper now,” Miller told Non League Yorkshire.
“We had a players meeting with the whole of the squad and then individual meetings with the players just to make sure they were happy with what they had heard.
“I think it is important that having spelled out my vision for the football club and (chairman) Matthew Gore having spelled out the vision for off-the-field, that the players had the opportunity to speak with myself and the owners.
“The feedback from the players has been really good. I’ve said all along, Tadcaster isn’t broken because they finished third.
“It is an outstanding club with huge potential. There are a few other teams in the league that can probably match that ambition so it was important that we tied a lot of things up early.
“We have a clear vision for the season and a real direction in terms of the style of play we would like to engage in.
“We’ll put it to test in pre-season.”
Whilst retaining the bulk of last season’s squad, Miller had added Gary Stevens, George Conway, Joe Thornton, Jimmy Beadle, Matt Heath, Jordan Armstrong and Adam Baker.
He admits that his phone has been red-hot with players wanting to join the club, but he says that Tadcaster has a lot of attributes that entices potential recruits.
“It (phone) has been very busy and I said to the owners that the footballing world was watching Tadcaster Albion because there was a lot of interest towards them,” he said.
“That generates a lot of interest from players. You look at the playing surface, it is a massive attraction for players, as is the fanbase.
“I’ve met the supporters club who are outstanding, led by Captain Chickers. That was a really encouraging meeting because they highlighted where the football club should be.
“They are a big part of it and I think what people are seeing on a daily basis on social media would attract players.”
Miller did not apply for the role when it was advertised last month after the departure of long-serving boss Marshall.
Although he was among a number of people interviewed for the vacancy, like others, he did know the club’s owners i2i Sports.
Miller has dealt with the company through his full-time job as a senior lecturer at Askham Bryan College in York.
Asked why he accepted the top job at Tadcaster, Miller added: “I knew them quite as people and it was just important that we listened to each other and that my vision and their vision were matched.
“We established that early on. It was just a case of working out whether it was the right move for me in terms of where I’m at and where I want to go going forward.
“I think with (Harrogate) Railway, I always said that my ambition was to leave the club in a better state than where I found it.
“The aim was to make them a competitive Evo Stik Division One North team and someone who other teams could be scared of.
“I think we have done that. It felt right to go. I’m not saying it was job done because it was far from it, but I’m hoping Ash (new Railway manager Lee Ashforth) can get it right.”