Challenge Cup Final Boost For Abbey Hey
Thu 22nd April 2010 | Abbey Hey | By Ian Templeman
Abbey Hey manager Barrie Walker believes that clinching a place in the League Challenge Cup final will give his squad the boost they need, as they battle to stay in the Premier Division.
Barrie, a former Abbey Hey player, took over the managerial reins at the Abbey Stadium early in the season, and immediately found himself embroiled in a relegation scrap. But his side turned the form book upside down by beating Bootle in the League Challenge Cup semi final last weekend, and Barrie believes that the result and performance gives them a big psychological boost for the remainder of the season.
"After going eleven games without a win going into the Bootle game, our players could be forgiven for being a bit deflated, but they have worked really hard. Although we've not been scoring a lot of goals, they have been putting real effort in, and they needed to work harder than ever to get a result against Bootle. I couldn't have asked for any more, their work ethic was tremendous.
"I am hoping that the cup final will give us a lift, but we really need to be picking up league points and we have some massive games coming up. I think the result against Bootle and an appearance in a cup final signals intentions for next year. The scrap at the bottom of the league is going to go to the wire, but whether we stay up or go down, I think we will gain a lot from the experience of working hard to beat to beat Bootle, and getting to a cup final".
The past few months have been a tough managerial baptism for Barrie and assistant Andy Harris, another former Abbey Hey player, and he says that the Bootle result was a big bonus for him as well as the players.
"I've spent the last seven years managing junior football teams, so I'm questioning myself all the time whether I can do it at this level or not. To take a team to the League Challenge Cup Final gives me a massive lift in confidence, the players are the same and it's a great thing for the club. It's the major cup competition in this league and we've reached the final for the first time, even though we are bottom of the league, and I'm delighted.
"I'm really looking forward to it, and the fact that it will be played at Curzon Ashton is a real bonus for us. It's local to us, and I would expect that we will get a good support coming to watch us. I think that there will be a lot of people willing to make a short trip to see players that they know playing in the final.
"We are not well supported as a club, but we'd expect to have a good support behind us on the night. It'll be nice to play in front of our decent sized crowd with a good support for us for once and it's going to be a tremendous experience.
"But for now, we have to focus on the remaining league games, and do our best to get the results we need to stay in the Premier Division".
Challenge Cup Final Boost For Abbey Hey
Thu 22nd April 2010 | Abbey Hey
By Ian Templeman
Abbey Hey manager Barrie Walker believes that clinching a place in the League Challenge Cup final will give his squad the boost they need, as they battle to stay in the Premier Division.
Barrie, a former Abbey Hey player, took over the managerial reins at the Abbey Stadium early in the season, and immediately found himself embroiled in a relegation scrap. But his side turned the form book upside down by beating Bootle in the League Challenge Cup semi final last weekend, and Barrie believes that the result and performance gives them a big psychological boost for the remainder of the season.
"After going eleven games without a win going into the Bootle game, our players could be forgiven for being a bit deflated, but they have worked really hard. Although we've not been scoring a lot of goals, they have been putting real effort in, and they needed to work harder than ever to get a result against Bootle. I couldn't have asked for any more, their work ethic was tremendous.
"I am hoping that the cup final will give us a lift, but we really need to be picking up league points and we have some massive games coming up. I think the result against Bootle and an appearance in a cup final signals intentions for next year. The scrap at the bottom of the league is going to go to the wire, but whether we stay up or go down, I think we will gain a lot from the experience of working hard to beat to beat Bootle, and getting to a cup final".
The past few months have been a tough managerial baptism for Barrie and assistant Andy Harris, another former Abbey Hey player, and he says that the Bootle result was a big bonus for him as well as the players.
"I've spent the last seven years managing junior football teams, so I'm questioning myself all the time whether I can do it at this level or not. To take a team to the League Challenge Cup Final gives me a massive lift in confidence, the players are the same and it's a great thing for the club. It's the major cup competition in this league and we've reached the final for the first time, even though we are bottom of the league, and I'm delighted.
"I'm really looking forward to it, and the fact that it will be played at Curzon Ashton is a real bonus for us. It's local to us, and I would expect that we will get a good support coming to watch us. I think that there will be a lot of people willing to make a short trip to see players that they know playing in the final.
"We are not well supported as a club, but we'd expect to have a good support behind us on the night. It'll be nice to play in front of our decent sized crowd with a good support for us for once and it's going to be a tremendous experience.
"But for now, we have to focus on the remaining league games, and do our best to get the results we need to stay in the Premier Division".
