Athletic are starting again - Wellens

Now back in English football's fourth tier for the first time in decades, Athletic are facing an uphill battle once again.

However, manager Richie Wellens is totally determined to turn fortunes around at Boundary Park and lift the team towards promotion back into League One sooner rather than later.

Since Athletic’s dramatic and heart-breaking relegation on the final-day of last season, there’s clearly been plenty of soul-searching at the club, and now, fresh from a very welcome break with the family, Wellens is re-focused and plotting a path that will hopefully lead to a 2018/19 promotion tilt.

“It’s about starting again now,” said Wellens.

“We made a lot of mistakes last season and the owner I came out at the end of it and apologised.

“We went down by one point, but we lost far too many games because of certain situations that were going on.

“We should have been safe comfortably, but we’ve admitted our mistakes now, so let’s forget about that now.

“Let’s start from the bottom, build some momentum and get this club back to where it belongs.

“This club hasn’t had any success for so long. It’s not a nice feeling.

“I was devastated to be part of last season, but I want to be a part of making this club successful again now.

“Nothing will be easy, but if you want to try and fight hard for promotion you have to work so hard.

“If we want a successful season the main ingredient we’ll need is the fight.

“This club shouldn’t be in League Two.

“We’ve taken a backward step, and the only thing on my mind now is to try and secure a successful season this time.

“We all want to give the supporters belief. We are a community club, but it’s always been a club known for being in League One or above.

“Financial-wise it’s important to go back up, but the most important thing for me is to give the supporters a team that will be back playing in League One again the season after next.”