BEATTIE WANTS EVEN MOR OF STEP 4!

MORPETH TOWN chairman Ken Beattie has admitted he is enjoying his club’s NPL League “adventure”.

The Highwaymen were promoted into the league’s East Division after finishing as runners-up to Marske United in last season’s Northern League Division One.

Beattie had been outspoken over the enforced promotion and the costs that come with it, but revealed he has enjoyed the opening weeks.

He said: “We were sad to leave the Northern League because we had a lot of old friends there. But now we are in the Evo-Stik League we are going to go for it. It’s an adventure for us and it’s one that we are enjoying.

“The travel is expensive as I thought it would be and we are having to find around £25,000 a season to cope with that.

“It’s a challenge that we aren’t used to but we are looking at ways that the club can make money. We are working hard behind the scenes in our function room and we have a new stand. It’s been good so far, visiting new places and meeting new people has been great and obviously winning helps too.”

Nicky Gray’s side have recovered from an opening-day defeat at Belper Town with three consecutive league wins and an FA Cup victory over former Northern League foes Marske.

It is early days but with a squad boasting a number of players experienced in Non-League’s higher levels, Morpeth look set to challenge for a second consecutive promotion.

And Beattie believes that a number of Step 5 clubs would be able to hold their own at Step 4.

“We are in the league now and we want to finish as high as possible and try to make the next step,” he said. “Because of the high quality in the Northern League I think their top six could come up and hold their own but I do think it seems the sort of league where anyone can beat anyone on their day.

“We had a blip on the first day of the season but we have recovered very well since then.

“To be honest we have dominated games since that day and the new players have settled in very well. Long may that continue.”