Manager Nick Gray is confident Morpeth Town have all the ingredients for a strong season as he puts the finishes touches to a squad due back for pre-season training on July 3rd.
With plenty of work going into the off-field developments – the access road to the ground is currently having work done to fill the potholes in, while the toilet and changing rooms near completion – there is plenty going on in the playing squad, with three additions so far over the summer; goalkeeper Dan Lowson, centre-back Jeff Henderson and striker Adam Burnicle.
Although Mark Davison, Karl Dryden and Sam Norris have left the club, The Highwaymen are in great shape heading into a busy pre-season schedule, which starts with a visit to Stockton Town on July 7th.
With the players due back on the training ground four days before that, Gray is upbeat about the prospects of the club.
“We have had some tweaking to do but not wholesale changes because we have got the making of a really good squad,” said the Town supremo.
“We needed to get the right kind of people in; that’s what we have done. We’re coming back early for pre-season compared to the past because every player I have spoken to has said there is unfinished business from last season. It shows the type of people they are that they want to put that right and address it.
“To do that we need to work as a group on and off the pitch and that is what we are determined to do. You either win games or you learn in games and we have learnt in games last season.”
Discussing the summer transfer activity, Morpeth’s boss was keen to stress it was quality, not quantity, that the side needed.
“You can’t just go like for like,” Gray added.
“We need to be better than last year, so we need to find better players than last year. That is difficult which is credit to the squad. Sometimes we have just got to be patient.”
