Wednesfield looking to rebuild after reprieve from relegation
Wednesfield boss Ben Holden is looking to stabilise Wednesfield as part of a long-term plan to rebuild a club given a reprieve from relegation, writes Dan Hickey.
The Midland League Division One side finished second-bottom last season, but Holden is hoping that after a season of work to restructure behind the scenes, Wednesfield will be able to ‘kick on again’ in a year.
“Obviously, since the off-season, there’s a little bit of change," he said. "A lot of work we're doing towards the ground and the pitch, and around the football club as a whole.
“Hopefully, probably come August, people will be able to see a bit of a difference in the club."
He added: “First off, it’s about stabilisation. Obviously, stay above the drop line this next year and stabilise a little bit, and then kick on again in 12 months’ time if we can.
“I’m not going to sit here and say we're going to win it because there's a lot of clubs in our division with a lot more resources and a lot better structured and run clubs than ours at the moment,
“But like I said, with ours there’s lots going on around the club where, in 12 months’ time, we'll have a lot better structure from top to bottom for the club. We'll be in a better state.
“A little bit of stabilisation next year and not worrying about where we are in the division because our position will hopefully keep us in the same division. And then really kick on in 12 months’ time if we can.”
Despite the challenges since his arrival in December, when the club were already looking down the barrel of a bottom-three finish, the manager was full of praise for his team’s attitude.
“A positive for us, obviously, is we never struggled ever to get a side on the pitch," he said. "Every single game we had 15 or 16, week in week out.
“So it’s never been one where lads have put down their tools and gave up – we were always, always there and we will always be there, no matter what happens.”
And where they will be is a new-look Midland One, featuring promoted Knowle and AFC North Kilworth from step seven, and OJM Black Country from the Premier Division, following their relegation after difficulties upgrading their stadium.
Holden said: “Obviously, of the new teams that have come up, there's obviously another new side from Leicester that not many will know much about other than in the local area.
“I'm glad to see Knowle, we’ll see what they can offer in the division because they've been promoted. I’m excited to go to those places, not really excited to go over to Leicester, but we have to do it, so it is what it is.”
