WATSON IS READY NOW TO FINISH THE JOB
STEVE WATSON says his York City side are delighted to be back in training – and fully focused on finishing the job of winning promotion.
Watson’s Minstermen were top of the National League North table when the season was prematurely ended, but were later dethroned by Kings Lynn Town who had a better points-per-game average.
That meant York would need to overcome two more home playoff matches in order to reclaim their top-flight status, starting with the winner of the Altrincham v Chester eliminator in next week’s semi-final.
And Watson, the former Newcastle United and Everton defender, says his 24-strong play-off squad are fit and raring to go.
“We are all delighted to be back,” Watson told the club’s website. “It was a long lay-off for everybody and we also went through a spell of not knowing whether promotion would be automatic, points-pergame or even if the playoffs would go ahead.
“It’s been a long time coming but we are back in training now and amongst each other even though for a long period of time we were training in smaller groups as the protocol would dictate.
“We’ve had a mini pre-season and strangely enough the first game we are looking forward to might end up being the same first game we had at the start of this season.”
Watson has also made peace with the decision to demote his side from top spot - and says his players should use it as motivation to get the job done.
“Everyone has got their own agendas as has been proved with the voting system,” he added. “We certainly won’t use it as an excuse but we do feel slightly aggrieved that we were two points ahead at the top of the table with eight games to go on a decent bit of form.
“But that’s the way they have decided to do it and it’s something that we have to put behind us now – but it does give us that little bit extra point to prove.”