A Good Start For Lairds
Tue 30th September 2014 | Cammell Laird 1907 | By Ian Templeman
Having recorded their fifth straight win against Chadderton on Saturday, and extended their unbeaten run to nine games, Cammell Laird 1907 are one of the form teams in Division One.
Results on the field suggest the team has had no difficulty in adjusting to life in the NWCFL after dropping down from the Evo-Stik League Division One North in the summer, although from the outside, a club's committee taking a conscious decision to drop down two rungs of the Non-League Pyramid may seem a bit unusual.
However, Lairds Chairman Frank Games says it was a decision made for all the right reasons.
"We had been struggling along for a couple of seasons in the Evo-Stik League with an absent owner", he said. "and we just felt we were never going to go any further, as we couldn't get any interest in the club from sponsors and so on.
"So we took the decision to drop down. It wasn't a difficult decision for me personally as I've only been at the club about three years, but it was probably more difficult for the likes of Toddy Wood (the club Secretary) who has been at the club a long time and seen some great times.
"But I think if you asked the committee now, I think they would say it was the right decision as we were never going to go anywhere, and were treading water. This way, if we go anywhere it will be through our own endeavours and we'll reap the benefits.
"We are looking start a mini-soccer set up to grow our own players, and have tested the water this year with a youth team playing in a Sunday league who are doing well and we have a mini-soccer team playing over in Liverpool. Next year we looking to develop that, and have some work to do this season to get that ready, but that is the way we want to go.
“We have targeted promotion on the playing side for the first team this season, and off the field we are working on raising our profile, improving the commercial side, and trying to get a few more spectators through the turnstiles.
“Fortunately when we were able to join the North West Counties League, we were able to retain most of the players, and so far things are going well. Some of the football we are playing is really good and we are scoring lots of goals”.
The retention of players has undoubtedly been crucial in the club’s start to the season, and Lairds manager Tony Sullivan believes that the players’ loyalty deserves recognition.
“We've kept 13 or 14 players from last season because the players just want to play for the club”, said Tony. “It wasn't as if we dropped down because we weren't good enough, and the fact the players wanted to stay and play for me says a lot about them, and they deserve a lot of credit.
“It shows the ethos and team spirit we've got at the club and it's like a family. I've seen enough players in the past move for a fiver a week more, or a tracksuit or whatever, but football at Cammell Laird isn't about the money. We are trying to put the club back where it came from.
“Some people might say ‘back where we belong’, but we don't belong there right now, and that is the key message from me to the players. We treat every team we play with respect, and that is instilled in the players.
“We lost to Atherton Collieries (on the opening day of the season) and it was a tough game, and then we had a blip against Irlam, but fair play to them they were better than us on the day and more than matched us. Those results might have been something to do with the players thinking it was going to be an easy ride, but I knew it wasn't.
“That was a bit of a shock to the system and we have overcome that, and now we are playing some good football. But we realise how tough this league is and we haven't done anything yet.
“It's important now just to maintain form, consistency is the key, and making sure we are there or thereabouts at the end of the season”.
A Good Start For Lairds
Tue 30th September 2014 | Cammell Laird 1907
By Ian Templeman
Having recorded their fifth straight win against Chadderton on Saturday, and extended their unbeaten run to nine games, Cammell Laird 1907 are one of the form teams in Division One.
Results on the field suggest the team has had no difficulty in adjusting to life in the NWCFL after dropping down from the Evo-Stik League Division One North in the summer, although from the outside, a club's committee taking a conscious decision to drop down two rungs of the Non-League Pyramid may seem a bit unusual.
However, Lairds Chairman Frank Games says it was a decision made for all the right reasons.
"We had been struggling along for a couple of seasons in the Evo-Stik League with an absent owner", he said. "and we just felt we were never going to go any further, as we couldn't get any interest in the club from sponsors and so on.
"So we took the decision to drop down. It wasn't a difficult decision for me personally as I've only been at the club about three years, but it was probably more difficult for the likes of Toddy Wood (the club Secretary) who has been at the club a long time and seen some great times.
"But I think if you asked the committee now, I think they would say it was the right decision as we were never going to go anywhere, and were treading water. This way, if we go anywhere it will be through our own endeavours and we'll reap the benefits.
"We are looking start a mini-soccer set up to grow our own players, and have tested the water this year with a youth team playing in a Sunday league who are doing well and we have a mini-soccer team playing over in Liverpool. Next year we looking to develop that, and have some work to do this season to get that ready, but that is the way we want to go.
“We have targeted promotion on the playing side for the first team this season, and off the field we are working on raising our profile, improving the commercial side, and trying to get a few more spectators through the turnstiles.
“Fortunately when we were able to join the North West Counties League, we were able to retain most of the players, and so far things are going well. Some of the football we are playing is really good and we are scoring lots of goals”.
The retention of players has undoubtedly been crucial in the club’s start to the season, and Lairds manager Tony Sullivan believes that the players’ loyalty deserves recognition.
“We've kept 13 or 14 players from last season because the players just want to play for the club”, said Tony. “It wasn't as if we dropped down because we weren't good enough, and the fact the players wanted to stay and play for me says a lot about them, and they deserve a lot of credit.
“It shows the ethos and team spirit we've got at the club and it's like a family. I've seen enough players in the past move for a fiver a week more, or a tracksuit or whatever, but football at Cammell Laird isn't about the money. We are trying to put the club back where it came from.
“Some people might say ‘back where we belong’, but we don't belong there right now, and that is the key message from me to the players. We treat every team we play with respect, and that is instilled in the players.
“We lost to Atherton Collieries (on the opening day of the season) and it was a tough game, and then we had a blip against Irlam, but fair play to them they were better than us on the day and more than matched us. Those results might have been something to do with the players thinking it was going to be an easy ride, but I knew it wasn't.
“That was a bit of a shock to the system and we have overcome that, and now we are playing some good football. But we realise how tough this league is and we haven't done anything yet.
“It's important now just to maintain form, consistency is the key, and making sure we are there or thereabouts at the end of the season”.
