Stalybridge Celtic

Stalybridge Celtic (Skrill North) 2013/14

As an Oldham fan with a penchant for taking local sides from the bottom rung, it seemed natural to take on Stalybridge. A mere 13 miles away over the Tameside border, it was an easy commute and one hell of a challenge.

I took the fairly small squad on just before the pre-season friendlies but immediately realised it needed an injection of experience and a fair whack of speed too. To give some leeway with the wage budget, goalkeepers Dave Stephenson, Ashley Woodhouse and Andy Ralph - the latter somewhat acrimoniously - all left, while midfielder Callum Warburton and centre-half Sam Egerton joined AFC Fylde and FC United respectively. Young goalkeeper Daniel East impressed myself and my coaches in early training sessions and earned a 1-year contract, as he was currently on a non-contract basis. In addition to this, former Oldham youngster Djeny Bembo-Leta, recommended by his brothers - both current Celtic players - Joel and Fabrice, was given a 1-year deal after the striker found himself without a club after his release from local rivals Droylsden.

Numerous triallists came in over the summer. Fairly high profile names, none moreso than former Roma and Bolton winger Christian Wilhelmsson, came to try and earn a deal. As it happened, Wilhelmsson didn't take long in finding another club while still on trial, plumping for the Hungarian OTP Bank Liga with Debrecen. He wasn't the only one - striker Seb Harris joined Altrincham when he realised Celtic couldn't compete with the wages the Cheshire side were throwing at him. Blair Sturrock, Manny Panther, Lukas Lidakevicius, Gethin Jones, Chris Sutherland, Oliver Risser, John Lester, Fred Murray, Jean-Paul Marna and Lewis Thomas were all free agents given a chance to shine, whilst Bishop Stortford winger Harry Baker was granted permission by his club to train with ourselves.

The backroom staff was largely non-existent upon arrival at Bower Fold. After placing a few adverts and waiting a while for better suited candidates to apply, this was swiftly rectified. I firmly believe international experience will help make this club grow and the knowledge of ex-pros such as former Liverpool and Ireland fulback Steve Finnan, ex-Leicester and Wales striker Iwan Roberts and, in spite of his virtually non-existent Sheffield United career, Senegalese international Mamadou Seck were brought it. Seck will manage my under-18 squad with Finnan as his assistant, while Roberts will lead my U21/reserves. I decided to give my existing backroom staff the chance, at least this season anyway, to prove themselves. So former boss Keith Briggs' assistant Andy Fearn remains at the club, as does coach Barrie Keeling. Former Bath manager John Relish was brought in to assist with transfer dealings as my director of football, while, in somewhat of a coup, former Bayern, Barcelona and Sweden captain Patrik Andersson was appointed as scout, along with the old, wise head of Bobby Roberts, who previously spotted talent at numerous clubs including Spurs and Newcastle.

I felt the players were training well, particular in respect to the fast, counter-attacking style I want to bring to the Celtic. However, results in pre-season did fluctuate from the good to the bad. Opening up at home to Skriill Premier side Alfreton, the side struggled to break down a resolute defence and, in spite of a man of the match showing from trialist centre back Jones, we succumbed to a John Akinde goal, a mere 7 minutes from time.

Next time out, we hosted Championship Derby County. In a topsy-turvy first half, the dominant Rams took a deserved lead through James O'Connor after just 2 minutes, the fullback latching onto a clever Patrick Bamford pass to beat Lidakevicius emphatically. The lead, however, lasted a mere four minutes, when the referee softly adjudged Zak Whitbread of a push on Seb Harris. We didn't need a second invitation and Jean-Paul Marna gave Lee Grant no chance from the spot. We were in dreamland 15 minutes later when centre-half Krisitan Platt evaded his marker to head home an Adam Pepper corner. Over 4,500 fans were in shock, although parity was soon restored just after the half-hour mark, when Bamford headed home unmarked from Paul Coutts' deep corner. Derby controlled the majority of the remaining hour but couldn't find a way through as we held on for a very respectable 2-2 draw.

This was followed by three more home games, which brought about three defeats. A woeful display against Nuneaton saw us on the end of a 3-0 reverse, while we didn't fare much better against their Skrill Premier counterparts Chester, going down 2-0. This was followed by our marquée friendly against Premier League Aston Villa. Resolute for the first half-hour, we eventually caved in to a far superior side in front of a bumper 6,000 fans. Goals from Libor Kozák, Leandro Bacuna and Jordan Bowery were enough for a strong Villa side to triumph 3-0.

The two final games were on the road and against, with respect, weaker opposition. A short trip to Valley Road in Flixton saw us take on Northwich Victoria, where despite Neil White's goal levelling matters after Harris' opener, we won at a canter. Harris' second goal was complimented further by Djeny Bembo-Leta and Blair Sturrock strikes to give us a healthy and confidence-boosting 4-1 win. The final game saw a journey to the Lincolnshire coast to pit ourselves against Winterton Rangers. The Northern Counties East outfit took a surprise lead just after half-time through Barrie McGuinness but the semi-pro side tired and fell to a trio of quickfire goals from John Lester, Sturrock and Djeny Bembo-Leta.

Pre-season done, it was time to makes decisions on the trialists. A number of them impressed, none more so than Jones and Sturrock. Jones, a former Cardiff trainee was snapped up. A solid centre-back who is great in the air, he was immediately installed as my captain. Sturrock, however, was a different story. He wanted a whopping £700 a week, a ridiculous amount of money for a club of this stature and was told in no uncertain terms he would not be offered a deal. Fellow trialists Lester, Marna, Manny Panther, Lewis Thomas and Chris Sutherland also left the club, with the quintet not doing enough to impress me to earn a deal.

Left-back Fred Murray was given a contract with a number of solid displays in pre-season, as was Bishop Stortford winger Harry Baker. Baker was exactly the type of player I was after when I first gave the squad a lookover - a winger who can play on either flank, he is pacy, good on the ball and can whip one hell of a ball into the box for a player at this level. Namibian international Oliver Risser was also given a contract, with the former Swindon man's versatility a key factor in my decision to sign the midfielder. Ex-Barnsley keeper Lukas Lidakevicius was snapped up, with some impressive displays from the Lithuanian leaving me in no doubt he was to be my first-choice goalkeeper this season, while youngsters Jamie Clarey and Lee Mitchell - a striker and a fullback respectively - were brought in on the recommendations of scouts Andersson and Roberts.

The excitement around the camp is buzzing now. We start our season tomorrow with a game at home to Hednesford. I'm hoping for a win but I'll take anything but a defeat to get us up and running. I'll have to have a bit of a rethink into my team too, as our midfield schemer Adam Pepper got a whack to his ribs in the Northwich game and will be out for a while but feel the squad is good enough to cope with the loss for now. Right, best get some rest, a big day ahead tomorrow!

SQUAD

Goalkeepers
Lukas Lidakevicius
Daniel West
Jack Cookson (u18s)

Defenders
Prince Haywood
Joel Bembo-Leta
Kelvin Bleau
Andy McWilliams
Kristian Platt
Gethin Jones
Fred Murray
Dominic Welsby (u18s)
Lee Mitchell (u18s)

Midfielders
Jordan Barrow
Harry Baker
Conal Platt
Adam Pepper
Oliver Risser
Lewis Hatch
Fabrice Bembo-Leta
Paul Ennis
Tom Buckley
Adam Parkhouse
Alec Mudimu (u18s)
Tyler Cameron (u18s)

Strikers
Djeny Bembo-Leta
Sean McConville
Obi Anoruo
Oscar Durnin
Jamie Clarey (u18s)

CAPTAIN: Gethin Jones
VICE-CAPTAIN: Adam Pepper

Good luck mate! Try using screenshots as it's easier to see exactly how you are doing!