Determined Brocton digging in and driving forward
Wed 27th September 2023 | Brocton | By Jay Cooper
After a over a week of personal technical difficulties, as well as the geographic struggle of living in one of the Northern-most areas encompassed by the NWCFL without a car to reliably travel any further south of, say, Manchester, it’s a pleasure for me to be writing my first feature article this season surrounding an NWCFL First Division South side – apologies that it took as long as it did! And, where better to start than at the top?
Brocton, then. In the grand scheme of things, the Badgers are very much NWCFL newcomers, making their debut in the First Division South in the 2021/22 campaign – the first full season for the league after the pandemic that shall not be named had finally quietened down enough to let non-league football get on with things. And they certainly didn’t do themselves a disservice when they arrived on the scene, finishing a respectable 10th place in the table during a season where the top 5 in the table pulled away from the rest of the pack like reverse magnets.
It would be the next year, 2022/23, that Brocton would establish themselves as one of the heavier hitters in the division. They would make the play-offs in that season, finishing 4th place, level on points with 3rd and a comfortable 9 points clear of 5th; 16 clear of 6th. The team they would face in the semi-final were Sandbach United, where their season would end after a 3-1 away defeat. Sandbach would also come up short in their own promotion bid, also losing 3-1 to Cheadle Town in the play-off final.
So, how to go one better in 2023/24? Well, the Badgers are currently top of the table after 11 games played, as well as having between 1 and 3 games in hand on their nearest challengers – I’d argue that there’s worse ways to start a season. Last week, I spoke to first team manager Alex Curtis about the early success that his team have found this term, which began with their pre-season preparations. “We had a good season last year - finishing in the play offs for a club of our size was fantastic. We kept all but one of the players together this year, as well as adding some depth to the squad that we had been missing. The lads are a credit to themselves and the club with the way they conduct themselves and really buy into the project we have.
“For a club without a budget, the togetherness and team spirit we have are key to our success. The fixtures we had in pre-season were to test us and the majority were against teams from higher divisions. With how well we did last year, often teams who fail in the play-offs struggle at the start of the next season. I was determined that this wouldn’t be the case for us, so I tried to freshen up a lot of things we were doing in training – trying different routines and styles of play to make sure we went into the season fresh. As well as having the bit between our teeth to get going again.”
In hindsight, the work that Alex and his players have done in pre-season has proved dividends, with the club having managed 7 wins from their opening 11, and only a single defeat so far, which came against Eccleshall in their second match of the season. Reflecting on that one spot on the coffee book, Alex said that “the Eccleshall loss is something I have no issue with. It showed us that we don’t have a divine right to turn up and win every game without any effort. We dropped below our own standards against a hardworking and physical side. Eccleshall deserved the win on the day. However, since then we have won 7 in a row, so it clearly had a positive effect on us. We play Eccleshall again this weekend and go into the game with respect for them, but, of course, we hope to reverse the result.”
‘This weekend’ at the time of this conversation is actually last weekend at the time of writing, and that match ended honours even, after Brocton’s Thomas Vaughan cancelled out a Mitchell Glover opener for Eccleshall. This brings the club’s hot streak of 7 league wins on the bounce to an end, but their current unbeaten run, which now stretches to 8 games, remains intact.
Speaking on that run, Alex said, “we have beaten our previous club record of 6 consecutive wins. It’s something we are really proud of and a testament to the way the lads apply themselves. That said, the dressing room hasn’t changed from how it usually is since we have been winning the games. The lads love being around one another and spend a great deal of time away from football together. We keep the group small but competitive to keep them pushing each other on. It’s an environment that, as a management team and club, we are so proud of.”
Perhaps only scoring the 1 goal in that Eccleshall game paints a false picture of Brocton as an attacking team. Scorelines which favour the Badgers so far this season include a 3-0 win over newly promoted high-flyers Market Drayton Town; a 4-1 victory at home to Winsford United; and a 5-1 smashing of fellow promotion hopefuls Abbey Hey. And that’s not a new phenomenon, either, as Alex alluded to. “Last year we were up there with the top scorers in the division, but for goals conceded, we were about mid-table.”
It seems a problem that needs remedying from last season has more to do with goal concessions, given that, more to the gaffer’s point, his side shipped 57 in the league last time out. But it’s a remedy that he and his staff are working on. “It’s been a focus for us to stop conceding goals. The defence has been brilliant so far, but it’d be unfair on the rest of the lads if I didn’t say that it’s been a whole collective effort. The lads work tirelessly off the ball to prevent goals from going in. We know teams will score against us, but we must make sure that, when they do, it’s because we’ve made them work hard for it – no gift goals or easy chances. Credit must go to Tony (Allsopp) as well, who’s been excellent in goal with his handling and distribution.”
Another recent result for Brocton that doesn’t look all that impressive on first glance is their 2-0 home win over Sandbach United – call that revenge for last season’s play-off defeat. What makes that scoreline more interesting is that Brocton didn’t score their first goal until the 8th minute of stoppage time at the end of the match, and they still found time for a second. In a testament to his team’s mentality, Alex told me that, “we pride ourselves on being a fit side and making sure we never give up. We weathered the storm in that match and had some moments where our character was tested. Sandbach are in a false position in my eyes and will definitely pick up during the season. To score two late goals made the celebrations afterwards all the sweeter. The mentality of the lads was excellent to keep going.”
With the Badgers excellent league form at the moment, they could feel they be a match for a team from further up the English football pyramid. After all, they did face off against some such sides in pre-season. Well, it just so happens that, for Brocton, both the Staffordshire Senior Cup and the Edward Case Cup are close on the calendar. For Alex, “cup games are a chance for us to rotate the squad. We want to give lads opportunities to play and start but without changing the side to the point where we can’t compete in the fixture. Some cups are more challenging than others, but we absolutely have aspirations of doing well in the Edward Case Cup this season.” Watch this space.
A good cup run is one thing, but if Brocton can keep up this tremendous league form that they’ve started the season with then they might be in the running for an altogether greater reward by next spring. After last season’s play-off disappointment, for Alex and his players to get over the line this time out would be the ultimate goal, no? “Our aspirations for the season are to take each game as it comes and make sure we compete in each fixture. We are delighted with the lads in our squad and the systems we have in place. Our aim is to pick up two points per game on average, and we know that would take us where we’d need to be for an exciting end to the season.
“At present, the most important thing is the next game and that’s the way we will see it all season. I don’t get carried away in looking at the league table. I know there are some great sides in the division who are going to test us throughout the year. Ultimately, the most important thing will be where you are by April 15th, but we aren’t focusing on an end goal of being promoted - that would certainly be a bonus. For now, when the lads arrive each week, I just hope they enjoy it and that we win our fixture. If we keep that philosophy, then I’m sure we won’t be far away. But there is still such a long way to go.”
There is, but we’ve all heard the cliché that a journey of a thousand miles begins with one step, and it makes all the sense in the world that if you take that step before others around you, you might reach the goal ahead of them. And at the breakneck speed that Brocton have started their season, give or take their only loss thus far to Eccleshall, the destination for their particular journey might well be (and I say this hoping not to jinx them in any way) the NWCFL Premier Division in 2024/25.
Image credit: Twitter, @broctonfc, 24/08/2023
Determined Brocton digging in and driving forward
Wed 27th September 2023 | Brocton
By Jay Cooper
After a over a week of personal technical difficulties, as well as the geographic struggle of living in one of the Northern-most areas encompassed by the NWCFL without a car to reliably travel any further south of, say, Manchester, it’s a pleasure for me to be writing my first feature article this season surrounding an NWCFL First Division South side – apologies that it took as long as it did! And, where better to start than at the top?
Brocton, then. In the grand scheme of things, the Badgers are very much NWCFL newcomers, making their debut in the First Division South in the 2021/22 campaign – the first full season for the league after the pandemic that shall not be named had finally quietened down enough to let non-league football get on with things. And they certainly didn’t do themselves a disservice when they arrived on the scene, finishing a respectable 10th place in the table during a season where the top 5 in the table pulled away from the rest of the pack like reverse magnets.
It would be the next year, 2022/23, that Brocton would establish themselves as one of the heavier hitters in the division. They would make the play-offs in that season, finishing 4th place, level on points with 3rd and a comfortable 9 points clear of 5th; 16 clear of 6th. The team they would face in the semi-final were Sandbach United, where their season would end after a 3-1 away defeat. Sandbach would also come up short in their own promotion bid, also losing 3-1 to Cheadle Town in the play-off final.
So, how to go one better in 2023/24? Well, the Badgers are currently top of the table after 11 games played, as well as having between 1 and 3 games in hand on their nearest challengers – I’d argue that there’s worse ways to start a season. Last week, I spoke to first team manager Alex Curtis about the early success that his team have found this term, which began with their pre-season preparations. “We had a good season last year - finishing in the play offs for a club of our size was fantastic. We kept all but one of the players together this year, as well as adding some depth to the squad that we had been missing. The lads are a credit to themselves and the club with the way they conduct themselves and really buy into the project we have.
“For a club without a budget, the togetherness and team spirit we have are key to our success. The fixtures we had in pre-season were to test us and the majority were against teams from higher divisions. With how well we did last year, often teams who fail in the play-offs struggle at the start of the next season. I was determined that this wouldn’t be the case for us, so I tried to freshen up a lot of things we were doing in training – trying different routines and styles of play to make sure we went into the season fresh. As well as having the bit between our teeth to get going again.”
In hindsight, the work that Alex and his players have done in pre-season has proved dividends, with the club having managed 7 wins from their opening 11, and only a single defeat so far, which came against Eccleshall in their second match of the season. Reflecting on that one spot on the coffee book, Alex said that “the Eccleshall loss is something I have no issue with. It showed us that we don’t have a divine right to turn up and win every game without any effort. We dropped below our own standards against a hardworking and physical side. Eccleshall deserved the win on the day. However, since then we have won 7 in a row, so it clearly had a positive effect on us. We play Eccleshall again this weekend and go into the game with respect for them, but, of course, we hope to reverse the result.”
‘This weekend’ at the time of this conversation is actually last weekend at the time of writing, and that match ended honours even, after Brocton’s Thomas Vaughan cancelled out a Mitchell Glover opener for Eccleshall. This brings the club’s hot streak of 7 league wins on the bounce to an end, but their current unbeaten run, which now stretches to 8 games, remains intact.
Speaking on that run, Alex said, “we have beaten our previous club record of 6 consecutive wins. It’s something we are really proud of and a testament to the way the lads apply themselves. That said, the dressing room hasn’t changed from how it usually is since we have been winning the games. The lads love being around one another and spend a great deal of time away from football together. We keep the group small but competitive to keep them pushing each other on. It’s an environment that, as a management team and club, we are so proud of.”
Perhaps only scoring the 1 goal in that Eccleshall game paints a false picture of Brocton as an attacking team. Scorelines which favour the Badgers so far this season include a 3-0 win over newly promoted high-flyers Market Drayton Town; a 4-1 victory at home to Winsford United; and a 5-1 smashing of fellow promotion hopefuls Abbey Hey. And that’s not a new phenomenon, either, as Alex alluded to. “Last year we were up there with the top scorers in the division, but for goals conceded, we were about mid-table.”
It seems a problem that needs remedying from last season has more to do with goal concessions, given that, more to the gaffer’s point, his side shipped 57 in the league last time out. But it’s a remedy that he and his staff are working on. “It’s been a focus for us to stop conceding goals. The defence has been brilliant so far, but it’d be unfair on the rest of the lads if I didn’t say that it’s been a whole collective effort. The lads work tirelessly off the ball to prevent goals from going in. We know teams will score against us, but we must make sure that, when they do, it’s because we’ve made them work hard for it – no gift goals or easy chances. Credit must go to Tony (Allsopp) as well, who’s been excellent in goal with his handling and distribution.”
Another recent result for Brocton that doesn’t look all that impressive on first glance is their 2-0 home win over Sandbach United – call that revenge for last season’s play-off defeat. What makes that scoreline more interesting is that Brocton didn’t score their first goal until the 8th minute of stoppage time at the end of the match, and they still found time for a second. In a testament to his team’s mentality, Alex told me that, “we pride ourselves on being a fit side and making sure we never give up. We weathered the storm in that match and had some moments where our character was tested. Sandbach are in a false position in my eyes and will definitely pick up during the season. To score two late goals made the celebrations afterwards all the sweeter. The mentality of the lads was excellent to keep going.”
With the Badgers excellent league form at the moment, they could feel they be a match for a team from further up the English football pyramid. After all, they did face off against some such sides in pre-season. Well, it just so happens that, for Brocton, both the Staffordshire Senior Cup and the Edward Case Cup are close on the calendar. For Alex, “cup games are a chance for us to rotate the squad. We want to give lads opportunities to play and start but without changing the side to the point where we can’t compete in the fixture. Some cups are more challenging than others, but we absolutely have aspirations of doing well in the Edward Case Cup this season.” Watch this space.
A good cup run is one thing, but if Brocton can keep up this tremendous league form that they’ve started the season with then they might be in the running for an altogether greater reward by next spring. After last season’s play-off disappointment, for Alex and his players to get over the line this time out would be the ultimate goal, no? “Our aspirations for the season are to take each game as it comes and make sure we compete in each fixture. We are delighted with the lads in our squad and the systems we have in place. Our aim is to pick up two points per game on average, and we know that would take us where we’d need to be for an exciting end to the season.
“At present, the most important thing is the next game and that’s the way we will see it all season. I don’t get carried away in looking at the league table. I know there are some great sides in the division who are going to test us throughout the year. Ultimately, the most important thing will be where you are by April 15th, but we aren’t focusing on an end goal of being promoted - that would certainly be a bonus. For now, when the lads arrive each week, I just hope they enjoy it and that we win our fixture. If we keep that philosophy, then I’m sure we won’t be far away. But there is still such a long way to go.”
There is, but we’ve all heard the cliché that a journey of a thousand miles begins with one step, and it makes all the sense in the world that if you take that step before others around you, you might reach the goal ahead of them. And at the breakneck speed that Brocton have started their season, give or take their only loss thus far to Eccleshall, the destination for their particular journey might well be (and I say this hoping not to jinx them in any way) the NWCFL Premier Division in 2024/25.
Image credit: Twitter, @broctonfc, 24/08/2023
