Joint New Mills boss warns players they will have to fight for their place

Joint New Mills manager Mike Norton has warned his players that they must all fight for a place in the starting line-up.
Joint boss Mike Norton says everyone must fight for their place.Joint boss Mike Norton says everyone must fight for their place.
Joint boss Mike Norton says everyone must fight for their place.

New Mills have brought in a number of new players as they look to seal promotion from the First Division South of the North West Counties Football League.

And, although they have retained the full team from last season, Norton says no-one can take their place for granted.

“We have got about 25 players, so we need to get the friendlies up and running to narrow it down to about 20,” he said.

“The new lads look really good. Everyone has a chance and it’s a blank canvas for everyone.

“Everyone has come back sharp fitness wise. Usually it would take six weeks to get up and running, but the lads are already fit anyway and we have gone straight into ball work.

“We have a bit of light at the end of the tunnel. Having a potential start date getting nearer has really raised things in training.

“We had a bit of dip last Thursday, training all the time gets a bit boring.

“But we have had a good week after that because we have something to look forward to.

“The intensity in training has gone up and not one of the players moaned, which I was pleased with.

“They want to be on the journey with us this year, promotion is our goal.”

It is hoped NWCFL will be able to begin competitive league football early to mid-September, with New Mills kicking off their pre-season fixtures on 1st August.

And Norton again confirmed the Millers, who have no players left over from the previous managerial regime, will go into the campaign with one goal in their mind.

“When we came in we had to get a team that was just capable of competing,” he added.

“They didn’t have a win on the board. We got a point in our first game and everyone was over the moon.

“That is not what me and Dave (joint manager Dave Birch) are about, we have won things.

“It is a brand new team. We ended the season well and wanted a top eight finish. We were gutted when it ended.

“This year we want a minimum top four. Everyone wants to win it.

“The players we have got are hungry and will run through a brick wall for us. We need matches now.”

The North West Counties Football League have confirmed that Isle of Man FC have been granted a place in NWCFL Division One South ahead of the 2020/21 season, replacing FC Oswestry Town who have withdrawn from the competition.

The NWCFL have also confirmed that newly formed AFC Bury have been placed in Division One North of the league.

From the start of the 2020/21 season the club will be known as New Mills Football Club rather than New Mills AFC.

It brings with it a new logo which replaces the old crest that had been in place since the early 1980’s.

Visit www.buxtonadvertiser.co.uk during the new season for the latest New Mills reports and interviews.

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