New Beverley Town manager Dave Ricardo reckons the future is bright for his hometown club.
Ricardo was hoisted into the job he relinquished eight years ago after winning the race to succeed Mike Thompson.
He will now lead them into their historic first campaign in the Toolstation NCEL Division One and he believes Beverley have the potential to successful in the coming years.
“The way I sold it at the interview was that it is a four-year-plan,” Ricardo told Non League Yorkshire.
“If I had said it was a two-year plan I’d have to bring a decent budget in myself which isn’t going to happen or work miracles.
“It is going to have to be more realistic.
“The first couple of years are about aiming to be mid-table to the play-offs – that’s the first aim.
“After that, play-offs, lets get promotion.
“I envisage if we do well, the town will back us.
“This town has been crying out for a NCEL side for the last 20 years and it is a large Town and it is a semi-affluent area so I firmly believe the Town will get behind the club and we’ll carry on the growth.
“There’s some good places around here and I’m fed up of them going to the likes of Brid, Winterton, Brigg, Cleethorpes – let’s get the best players from here playing for Beverley.
“I consider myself to be a Beverlion and I’m proud of it because it is a good place and they deserve what the committee and the players have been able to produce.
“It is up to myself, my management team and the current group to kick on.”
Ricardo delivered unprecedented success during his first spell as Beverley boss as he won two consecutive Humber Premier League titles.
However, Beverley were unable to progress up the pyramid due to their Norwood home failing to meet Step 6 ground grading standards.
Fast forward to 2022 and the floodlights are set to be installed, the NCEL is beckoning and Ricardo is thrilled.
“I think I have unfinished business and that’s something I tried to get across in the interview process,” he said.
“It was ten years ago this year that I started managing and it was a couple of years later that I left to go to Selby.
“It is a case of looking to carry on what we built then.
“There was a glass ceiling element to it (in 2014).
“We could see where we wanted to go, but like anything it is about money, drive, experience and to the committee’s credit they have brought those skill-sets in.
“They have had that drive.
“Off-the-field I think the committee has done a fantastic job to get as far as they have.
“I’m going to be completely honest and I said to them all, I didn’t think it would happen.
“I thought there would be planning obstacles, but it has gone without a hitch with the main factors in terms of the floodlights.
“It is extremely positive and it has given everyone a boost in the Town.”
Ricardo had to seek an alternative club to further his management career back in 2014.
The former Bridlington Town player initially managed Selby Town before rolling up at Hall Road Rangers in 2016.
His time at Haworth Park is the pinnacle of his career so far as he led them to the Division One title.
Spells at Barton Town and back at Hall Road Rangers last season have followed and Beverley have re-appointed a manager who has learnt a lot since the days he was a rookie boss for them.
“I don’t regret anything over the last ten years,” he said.
“Things happen for a reason.
“I have been really fortunate since October time when I went into Hall Road because Leon (Sewell) has shown me different skills with the way that he has to wheel and deal and work with the parameters he has.
“Everything I’ve done in the game, if it is not a positive, you turn it into a positive because you learn from it and make sure you don’t make the same mistakes again.
“There were mistakes I made at the end at Barton which I wouldn’t do again.
“Hall Road first time round, I don’t think I did a lot wrong.
“I won the league in the first year with the help of the Billy (Gill) and the best group of players I’ve ever worked with.
“I didn’t do much wrong at Selby, but they wanted to go down a different avenue.
“I have been fortunate to work with some fantastic coaching staff, fantastic chairmen and fantastic players.”
Attention turns to organising pre-season friendlies and assembling a squad.
Ricardo knows the NCEL “inside out” so Beverley have the perfect man and he says the leap from the HPL to Step 6 is massive.
“The squad that I have inherited from Mike; you know as well as I do that they’ll be comings and goings through people working, people going to university etc,” he said.
“There’ll be some natural movement.
“I’m halfway through speaking to the players and what I have said to them is everyone has a clean slate and will get a fair crack at the whip.
“I will know after three weeks of training whether people are ready for the step-up.
“There’s some players who I am excited to work with and that I feel need the chance to flourish in the NCEL.
“Is it going to be easy? Not at all.
“The gap between Humber Premier League and NCEL Division One is huge. It is a chasm.
“That’s something people have to get to grips with early doors.
“You have the off-the-field factors such as the travelling and the fact the league is the biggest it has been for ten years which I’m surprised about.
“There’s going to be 42 games this year and that’s just league games.
“You add your cup games in and you’re talking 50 games and that’s a lot, especially with the cost of living crisis.
“For clubs, £20s will become £30s for players for fuel and it is hard going.
“I thought the FA may look at it. I’m sure they still might because there is still one-or-two things that need to be confirmed in terms of league structure.
“You never know in this day and age which teams may possibly fold.”