Tony Happy With Boro Progress
Wed 11th September 2013 | Oldham Boro | By Ian Templeman
Despite some mixed results since the start of the season, Oldham Boro manager Tony Mills believes his squad has the ability to improve on their finishing position of 8th place last season.
Boro recorded a good win over 1874 Northwich in the Vase last weekend, and Tony believes the performance last Saturday epitomised the spirit and quality that exists among the squad.
“We had four regular first team players missing and had another player break down in the warm up, and that left us with only 13 players and some players playing out of position”, he said. “So it was a great all round performance, we worked very hard, although we had a lot of walking wounded after the game”.
Tony was able to retain the majority of last season’s squad in the summer, and will be looking to bolster the ranks during the season with players from his reserve side, who have now moved to Saturday afternoon football from a Sunday youth league to gain more experience.
“We were able to sign on all of last year's squad in pre-season although we did lose a couple just before the season started, and I also got rid of a couple because of their attitude”, said Tony.
“We have put our reserve team in the Rochdale Saturday League now, playing against adults. It prepares them better for first team football in the North West Counties League.
“We did have a youth team playing in the Tameside League but we moved them out of there to step up a level and get more experience. They have started well, they won 7-0 in the first week and last week drew 2-2 against the current league champions.
“We are looking to get teams at all age groups eventually, we have an under 12s team and we are looking to get another couple of teams at other age groups for next season”.
Despite their mid-table position in Division One, Tony believes that in a number of games played so far, Boro’s results weren’t a reflection on their performances.
“I'm happy with the way we have started”, he said. “We’ve no superstars, just a group of lads who will give anyone a game, and no one will walk over us.
“We played Formby and they scored two fantastic goals against us that there was nothing we could do about, but I didn't think there was much between the teams.
“We've done that most weeks since the season started, our only bad day really was against Ashton Town away. In that game we were depleted and had three 16 year olds in the team and another three on the bench, and we couldn't cope and got trounced.
“But the following week we had a full strength squad and went to Daisy Hill, who would have gone top if they had won, and we beat them.
“With that performance, and the way we played against Formby in our first game, I knew we weren't far off, and as long as we keep working hard and competing I'll think we'll do OK”.
Tony Happy With Boro Progress
Wed 11th September 2013 | Oldham Boro
By Ian Templeman
Despite some mixed results since the start of the season, Oldham Boro manager Tony Mills believes his squad has the ability to improve on their finishing position of 8th place last season.
Boro recorded a good win over 1874 Northwich in the Vase last weekend, and Tony believes the performance last Saturday epitomised the spirit and quality that exists among the squad.
“We had four regular first team players missing and had another player break down in the warm up, and that left us with only 13 players and some players playing out of position”, he said. “So it was a great all round performance, we worked very hard, although we had a lot of walking wounded after the game”.
Tony was able to retain the majority of last season’s squad in the summer, and will be looking to bolster the ranks during the season with players from his reserve side, who have now moved to Saturday afternoon football from a Sunday youth league to gain more experience.
“We were able to sign on all of last year's squad in pre-season although we did lose a couple just before the season started, and I also got rid of a couple because of their attitude”, said Tony.
“We have put our reserve team in the Rochdale Saturday League now, playing against adults. It prepares them better for first team football in the North West Counties League.
“We did have a youth team playing in the Tameside League but we moved them out of there to step up a level and get more experience. They have started well, they won 7-0 in the first week and last week drew 2-2 against the current league champions.
“We are looking to get teams at all age groups eventually, we have an under 12s team and we are looking to get another couple of teams at other age groups for next season”.
Despite their mid-table position in Division One, Tony believes that in a number of games played so far, Boro’s results weren’t a reflection on their performances.
“I'm happy with the way we have started”, he said. “We’ve no superstars, just a group of lads who will give anyone a game, and no one will walk over us.
“We played Formby and they scored two fantastic goals against us that there was nothing we could do about, but I didn't think there was much between the teams.
“We've done that most weeks since the season started, our only bad day really was against Ashton Town away. In that game we were depleted and had three 16 year olds in the team and another three on the bench, and we couldn't cope and got trounced.
“But the following week we had a full strength squad and went to Daisy Hill, who would have gone top if they had won, and we beat them.
“With that performance, and the way we played against Formby in our first game, I knew we weren't far off, and as long as we keep working hard and competing I'll think we'll do OK”.
