Why our Liam has an Aussie down in the mouth
STOCKPORT County manager Neil Young believes the feel-good factor is coming back to the club after the council’s purchase of Edgeley Park.
Last week saw a deal agreed to allow the council to purchase the stadium and then enter into a landlord/tenant agreement with the football club.
It prevents the ground being bought by a third party, and Young is delighted that things were quickly resolved.
“It’s another piece of the jigsaw complete and I have to credit the fantastic work done behind the scenes by everyone involved,” he said.
“Knowing our stadium’s future is secure is a massive relief and it can help to keep everyone around the club motivated.
“I must thank the board as they kept the situation well away from me so it meant there wasn’t any distractions.
“My focus has always been on the football side of things as we’re currently in the middle of a massive recruitment drive.”
Young’s squad overhaul continued this week after the arrivals of Micah Evans and Kevin Holsgrove.
“The squad is coming together nicely and we’ve still got offers out for a few people,” he said.
“Micah Evans is a quick, dynamic winger and he’s someone I’ve had my eye on for quite a long time.
“He’s hungry, he’s keen to do well and he fits the profile of player we want.
He can play on either side and I’m very glad to have got this deal done.
“Kevin is a good player who can play wide in a four-man midfield, centrally, or up front.
“He’s a quick player and good left-footed players are very hard to find at any level but I think we’ve got one in Kevin.
“He gives us options but he also knows the league and is a really good, honest lad.
“He’s played at this level and higher so I think he’ll be a good signing for us.”
Stockport were close to signing another player as the Express went to print, with a forward expected to arrive at the club.
The first-team squad are now back in pre-season training, and Young is happy to have his entire squad together.
“The players are all working really well and gelling together nicely as a unit,” he said.
“Everyone has looked sharped and we’ve had a couple of good sessions over the past few days.
“We’re still in the process of a big overhaul at the club and so we need to make sure we integrate the players in properly.
“I’m not too worried about making sure everything is in place during pre-season, but we must have things clearly in order when the competitive games starts in August.”
Meanwhile, Young feels the recent fans’ forum that took place several weeks ago benefitted all parties involved.
A large number of supporters turned out to hear what the boss had to say on the forthcoming campaign, and he was happy to explain his plans.
“It went really well from my perspective.
“The fans were great and there was a good turnout but, as I’ve said before, we’ll be judged by what we do on the pitch,” he said.
“I think things like the forum helps the fans to understand why we make the decisions we do.
“People might sometimes think what we do may be a bit radical; a lot of it is down to budget but it’s also about getting the best players in that we can.”