LOOK OUT TOWN! BIG GUNS ARE AFTER YOU
THE cobwebs are well and truly off and the dust has settled after a hectic six weeks. The excitement and anticipation of the opening day seems a long time ago and it hasn’t taken long for managerial casualties and surprise packages to make the headlines.
The honeymoon for managers is over and pressure from above, and from the stands, has started to show.
A quarter of the way through the season, managers and supporters will have a fair idea of what type of season lies ahead. The jigsaw should be coming together nicely or, in some cases, missing a number of pieces. Manager’s tactics and philosophy along with his new signings and a style of play are evident. The excuses are running out, it’s time to turn it around.
The biggest surprise so far this season has to be the form of free-scoring Harrogate Town. Manager Simon Weaver has done an excellent job from the dugout while his father and chairman Irving Weaver is getting it right in the boardroom. They are using the positive momentum and confidence built from winning promotion last season along with the buzz and euphoria around the local community to make them early contenders.
Having played at Wetherby Road earlier in the month and getting beat convincingly, we came up against a well-organised team who do the basics very well and have a great work ethic and team spirit. Their 4G pitch gives them an edge at home which they use to their advantage.
Callum Howe, their captain, has been instrumental. A player I know well from his time on loan at Eastleigh, he is an attacking threat in the opposition’s box and defensive giant in and around his own.
Bouncing
Justin Edinburgh has certainly bought some muchneeded stability back to Leyton Orient and seems to have galvanised the players and supporters. After a few difficult years, both on and off the field, it needed a manager with direction leadership to turn the corner and settle things down. Results suggest, along with the increase in spectators at Brisbane Road, that things are on the up. Edinburgh seems to have the mix of experience and youth spot on. Senior players like Jobi McAnuff and Dean Brill will be a great help on and off the pitch to younger players like the skilful, pacey Josh Koroma and talented Myles Judd. Talisman Macauley Bonne has been pivotal and it’s his goals and ability to lead the line that has grabbed the headlines. Edinburgh knows exactly what it takes to win promotion from this league after his play-off success with Newport County in 2012-13 He has needed time after coming in to clear the decks and assemble a team that understands how he wants them to play. The players definitely seem to have the supporters on side and Brisbane Road is back bouncing.
Hartlepool United also deserve a lot of credit with the way they have started their season after off-the-field financial issues and boardroom disruption the club has faced in recent years. It is their second season in the National League and their house looks to be back in order. After the uncertainty of investment and comings and goings of managers the club seem to have found not only some stability off the pitch, but hit a fine run of form on it.
Martin Allen’s Chesterfield team flew out the blocks early on and really put a marker down, winning their first three games and not conceding. The ex-Barnet boss will be slightly more concerned at the lack of form that followed and an inability to score goals. Allen will be desperate to get back to winning ways and put together a run of form.
Staying with the chasing pack and not finding themselves too far adrift from the other contenders will be key. Chesterfield need their leaders to take games and individuals by the scruff of the neck and get the 4,500 expectant home fans behind them and quickly before the negativity and pressure becomes too much.
I believe when key players return from injury they will have enough quality to start climbing the table and have the time to still mount a serious challenge.