Has the Admirals revolution already begun?

Quite a while ago I wrote a topic entitled Strength in Depth you may recall.

I listed several players and their respective ages, many of which have now left the club. TrueBlue stated that some would not be good enough and I do concede he may well have been right.

These younger first team players seem to think that they had to just turn up in order to play and as we all now know, Mr Fell and Mr Breaker's disciplined approach is not only paying dividends on the field of play but is having a very positive effect on the calibre of youngsters that are now being attracted to the club.

I have watched with a keen interest recently at some of the new players that have come into the Development squad -

Dominic Mahoney - 19 years old (Defender/Midfielder) and a very talented footballer, two good feet with a brilliant engine and reads the game superbly.

Curtis Hickman - 18 years old (Goalkeeper) Top drawer for someone so young. His communication and command of his area are second to none. He is very quick off his line, oozes bravery and a brilliant shot-stopper.

Jacob Gould - 18 years old (Defender/Midfielder) and set to join from Nantwich Town but is a local lad from Barrowford.
He is coming to the club as a left back I believe but like 1st teamers Jack Brooks (17) and Jake Lloyd (18) he can play anywhere along the back line or in midfield. Another very talented footballer.

Will Nolan - 18 years old (winger, full back or forward) already got some 1st team experience under his belt and possesses superb pace and acceleration.

Daniel Moss - 18 year old (winger/forward) same as Will (pace and acceleration) and got 1st team experience and wasn't on long before he scored a stunning curler up at Lancaster City in the cup.

Perry Jepson - 17 year old (Midfielder/Defender) another good passer of the ball and good energy levels.

Luke Pearson - 17 year old (Defender) just stepped up from youth league and looking very tidy on the ball and will grow in confidence as he gets more game time in Dev Squad.

The main factors that every player named above possesses - ATTITUDE and PATIENCE. Not one of them thinks they are too good to play in the Dev Squad but all would perform well in the 1st team.

Jake and Jack have been proving their patience all season and Jake is currently reaping the rewards, so too has Jonny Hession (20) and he too is now reaping the rewards - a very good message from the Management staff to all the others. Your chance will come - just be ready to take it. So far, when the chance has arose, I think we will all agree these boys have done themselves and their manager proud.

This is where deep loyalty is bred on a two way street - the longer these boys are together at the club the more loyal to the club and each other and in turn, the more loyal the Manager.

I am excited by the calibre of youngsters now coming into the club as these boys will be the future Evo-Stik team in years to come and are well worth watching.

The players that left the Dev Squad when the new management team of Daz and Mick took over will not be missed, I assure you, as these boys are technically superior and as a result will always be entertaining to watch.

Over to the owners to get the ground improved to match the calibre of players and management we have.

Interesting post and topic certainly. We've had a lot of players this season when u look at the stats, but I do believe the right decisions have been made regarding players and we are now better for it.

I've watched a couple of the players stated with interest as well as likes of Lloyd, Hession, Brooks who've all been in and around the first team. We have to acknowledge at their age consistent levels of high performance don't generally happen, but all with be a million times better for the exposure they've been given to a tough, competitive level of football that is the highest quality of NWCFL in this division I've ever seen.

The ground is going to need work and I think the club at some point have to come out and say what their commitment to it will be, we don't ever want to be held back due to short sighted planning, and it wouldn't help to keep the better players, young or old, and indeed the manager if that happened.

I'm not privy to the relationship between the manager and the club/board, I've heard stories he was on the brink of taking the Clitheroe job, and that there has been a falling out over Mr Edler who came and went. But I think at this point the chairman should be making the manager put pen to paper for a couple of years, then back him to the hilt to make the club continue it's progress and the player loyalty should follow suit.

I wholeheartedly agree J - Mark has made tough decisions about certain players but looking at the team togetherness and the performances there is no question he made the right call.

I am aware that two of the three young 1st teamers have been approached by much bigger clubs in the last couple of weeks but both have expressed their desire to stay at Nelson and continue their development under the current management team such is their belief and loyalty to Mark and Tim.

I do agree that they will have to be rested regularly to strengthen and reach their full potential but the good news is so do the players. (No silly tantrums in sight from these boys)

This is my first season watching NWCFL for many years so do not know what the standard has been in the past but I do know that Mark's tactics are the right ones to get us out of this division. They also suit the younger players who all shift the ball quickly cutting down risk of injury.

Your fears are my fears concerning the ground. I was recently looking at the ground grading at the different steps and we are ok for the moment but if the club has any ambition to play EVO league there are major improvements needed or yes we may lose the manager, his backroom staff and it wouldn't surprise me if we lost all the youngsters who I am sure would follow him if requested.

I heard the same rumours regarding Clitheroe but to be honest we have a better team and pitch and could see no reason why he would have taken the job if offered anyway. Yes he would have been 2 leagues higher but a fruitless task if not got the standard of team required to compete.

Maybe it is time for another meet the manager meeting at the ground to gain an insight into the club's intentions regarding improvements although Mark seems happy and if he's happy.................

Ground improvements at Victoria Park will be limited due to it being in a conservation area. The long term answer would be a to seedhill. I believe that a feasibility study was done some time ago which concluded that a compact stadium would fit on the land left vacant after the building of the M65.

Any such development would need considerable grant aid and would have to be made available for all genders, all ages and all sports. This of course is the way forward for smaller clubs and would provide a first class 3G playing surface along with good covered accommodation for spectators.

With a little bit of engineering flair the whole of the motorway embankment could be turned into a stand, the slope is more or less the right elevation.

All very valid points well presented, I think we've a significantly better squad that at any other point in the season, youngsters are getting chances (I know the players were told that 4 or 5 youngsters would have started against Holker in the cup) and they will be better for that.

The blend is right, look at Squires Gate who pretty much exclusively use Myerscough College students and really struggle.

But the old adage that if you perform you stay in the side seems to work.

Two minor concerns for me...

1) the ground is crying out for a new bar, I can't see how the club make any income other than match days

2) if we lost 2 or 3 players to other clubs or injury we may struggle (e.g Wright, Melling, Grimes) - any updates on which players are on contracts and have any commited to next season? Surely the build for that needs to start now, both on and off the pitch

That is very interesting Philip - I didn't know that about seedhill.

You are spot on regarding multi purpose for all - my wife and I do funding bids for our jobs and am well aware of social and capital funding, bond schemes and match funding.

At the moment there are plenty of funding streams available for these type of ventures particularly for places like Nelson due to ethnicity and deprivation - also throwing money at socially excluded particularly disabled.

I would be interested to know what funding streams have already been tapped into.

At first this could appear a pipedream - but it is anything but as planning would present it's own obstacles however they would fully support the venture with the amount of facility on offer as it would open funding streams for the Council also.

This should definitely be looked into whilst the 'Big Society' is in full swing as these type of community ventures are precisely what the government want and need.

A change in government and the whole thing could and probably would change again.

Timing is of the essence.

Hey TrueBlue - welcome back!

The three players you mention are the backbone of this evolving goal-scoring demon of a team.

They would be sorely missed no doubt about that however as we all know if you win things you are happy. I cannot see any reason why any of these three would want to leave but nobody is irreplaceable - eg Have we really missed Ritchie Allen?

There is far too much quality at Nelson which attract the right kind of replacement ans as J once said - In Mark we must trust cos he hasn't let anyone down yet.

I agree that current facilities are sub standard in comparison to some grounds I have been on but then again better than others.

Improvements in facilities and the food and drink would help improve the gates I a sure. I now have something to eat before I go as I will not pay £2.50 for a pie that I can buy at a supermarket for less than a pound.

If everyone was like me look at the lost revenue - I know it's a small amount we are talking but pennies make pounds.

I think the whole thing needs addressing on that front as the only thing of value is the programme and admission price given the current standard of football on offer.

I certainly agree on the programme, 100 million times better than last season, Abdul does a fantastic job on it