HEATH: I WON’T CHANGE A THING
BILLY HEATH insists he will not change Alfreton Town’s direct style – and is backing them to continue proving the critics wrong.
The Reds beat all the odds to finish fifth in National League North last season when most expected a season of struggle at the Impact Arena.
Heath, 51, is one of the game’s most charismatic figures who largely bases his success around oldschool philosophies.
With a system similarly adopted at former clubs North Ferriby and Halifax Town, Heath has made Alfreton typically tough to break down, platformed by a solid back line, combative midfield, quick wingers and a big target man up front, in this case 6ft 3in former Lincoln City striker Matt Rhead.
Heath’s Reds just came up short in their promotion bid, missing out to a high-flying Kidderminster, who went onto win promotion back to Step 1, in their Play-Off Eliminator – and they suffered another blow last week when they lost, arguably their most expansive player to National League neighbours Chesterfield in Bailey Hobson.
The defiant boss has set about levelling that out by completing a quintet of new signings this week and insists his side will continue adopting the same playing philosophy which has helped turned around the club’s fortunes since his arrival five years ago.
“People label us with a certain style but I don’t know what they think it is,” Heath told The NLP.
“I’m not going to change my style, am I? A lot of people keep playing the way they’re playing but have not won anything. Look how many things I’ve won. I’ve got out of this league twice, in the play-offs, I’ve won the FA Trophy [with North Ferriby], and 18 trophies in 22 years as a manager, why am I going to change the way we play? There’s nothing wrong with the way we play.
“The game can not be played the same throughout the pyramid. There are too many clubs and too many supporters who want their teams to play like Man City or like they do in the Premiership and if you don’t then it’s the wrong way to play.
“I keep hearing this tag ‘we try to play the right way’. But they never win anything, So we’ll keep playing my way.”
Heath has been busy in strengthening his squad by adding five new faces this week following the departure of Hobson, former Boston striker Dayle Southwell and centre-back Dominic Smith, who has joined Welsh side Newtown.
In comes winger Jamie Walker, defender Kennedy Digie from Gloucester City, returning forward Lewis Salmon, Buxton captain Shaun Brisley and powerful number nine Jake Day.
They, coupled with the majority of last season’s squad retained by Heath, makes for another winning combination, according to the boss.
“We’ve got a great bunch,” Heath, inset, continued. “We’ve taken a club who a lot of people were talking about being in the bottom six to fifth in the table – and this against some real powerhouses who have got nowhere near the playoffs this year. We’ve been defying the odds all season on that score.
“Ninth last season, got into the play-offs this, when you think what we’ve been up against, it’s a great achievement for everyone associated with the club.
“It’s going to be more difficult next season…the clubs coming down from the National League and the clubs coming up have all got huge financials and massive financial power.
“What we have to do is keep defying the odds as a football club and as a unit.”