Mossley duo set for rebuilding job

Photo: Anthony Miller

Mossley AFC joint managers Lloyd Morrison (left) and Peter Band.

AFTER ending their 2015-16 campaign on a huge high, Mossley joint-managers Lloyd Morrison and Peter Band will take stock before the non-league football
cycle begins to turn once again at the end of June.

The Lilywhites had been threatening a push for the Evo-Stik League Division One North play-offs last term, only to fall away from contention during the final half-dozen games.

However, they did end the season with a big positive, defeating National League North side Stalybridge Celtic 3-1 in a thrilling Manchester Premier Cup final.

VICTORY

Despite the well-deserved victory at Hyde’s Ewen Fields stadium coming at the end of a long, hard season, it already appears that preparations are well under way for 2016-17.

Asked whether a well-deserved break from all things football was now on the agenda, Morrison said: “You’re joking. For the last three or four weeks we’ve been on the telephone to players regarding next season.

“We’re going to lose a few from the current squad. That’s just the nature of the beast with a club like Mossley unfortunately.

“There was probably one or two sharks at the Manchester Premier Cup final last week, fishing the waters looking for that little star.

“We’ve got to be ready. Maybe not to replace certain players, but we’ll need to go down different avenues and maybe even change the way we play.

“It will be hard for us to replace the quality from the strongest 11, that can be nigh-on impossible.

“Take the bigger clubs, they can keep players happy on the bench.”

So a summer of wheeling and dealing could be in prospect for Morrison and Band as they will no doubt be plotting an improvement on a 13th-placed finish last season.

It was a league campaign which had promised plenty at times, but ended with a bit of whimper.

“I’ll be honest, we’ve been disappointed overall,” added Morrison.

‘TOUGH’

“We’ve had a good 12 or 13 players to rely on, and while there’s no disrespect to the others in the squad, some of them have never played at this level before and it can be tough.

“When they’ve had opportunities some have been a little naive and make the odd mistake, but as long as they’ve learned from it, we’ll accept it.

“We have still got the nucleus of a very good squad here, though.

“It’s just the problem of it being broken up every year.

“We’ll be back in for training at the end of June or early July, however, and we’ll go again.

“Myself and Peter (fellow joint-boss Band) will be as enthusiastic as ever for this club.”