EV2 Sheffield & Hallamshire County Senior League Premier Division
Karl Rose says Wombwell Town are going to enjoy the ride as they prepare for their long-awaited Premier Division debut.
To some, Wombwell are the oncoming storm – a club geared up to challenge for the title this season and make the jump into Non League Football.
However, former Frickley Athletic boss Rose is staying level-headed and not making bold statements about their aspirations ahead of the blockbuster opening day trip to Dodworth Miners Welfare (kick off 1.30pm).
“It (challenging) is easier said than done,” Rose told Non League Yorkshire.
“We know the likes of Dodworth, Swinton, Wombwell Main, Penistone Church Reserves have been established in this league for a very long time and have a good core of experienced players at this level.
“They know what this league is about.
“We come into this league and we need to do some quick-learning and improve our fitness levels, quality-levels, intensity-levels.
“All I can say is we’re going to give our best shot.
“We’re not coming into this league and saying ‘we are going to win this and that’.
“We have to go and compete first and foremost and take one game at a time and see where it takes us.
“We’re certainly on the crest of a wave and we want to ride the momentum as far as possible.
“Hopefully that’ll get us up the league and competing at the right end of the league.”
With the floodlights in place, Wombwell are effectively ready to be a Step 6 club and comparisons could be drawn with last season’s champions Wakefield AFC who are determined to fly up the National League System.
However, Rose says there is no comparison.
“We obviously do want to get promoted as quickly as possible,” he said.
“Wakefield were a bit different.
“They went straight into the Premier Division and their recruitment was slightly different with the business plan they have in place.
“We are the traditional Non League club that is trying to build up from absolute nothing.
“We have done well up to this point.
“I think people will look and say we’re wanting (to go up) but we haven’t got a ready-built stadium that Wakefield had.
“We have to do all the ground work off-the-pitch to make sure we are ready.
“I’m not really bothered what other clubs think.
“We have to stick to our blueprint and game-plan and when (promotion) happens, it happens.”
Two players have left Wombwell this summer.
Influential and long-serving Luke Exley has moved to Dubai for work reasons.
Renowned local pizza man and midfielder Chris Byrnes won’t be delivering on-the-field this season as he’s gone travelling the world to learn new recipes
Both departures are blows but Wombwell have done well in the League Cup without them and Rose, speaking before the second round win at Kinsley Boys, has been pleased.
“We have had a tough run in the cup,” he said.
“Gawber looked like a very good side and they’re definitely going to be up there if they put that team up there week-in-week-out.
“We played a different kind of football against Stocksbridge who get it down and pass it.
“It gave us a good look at what the league will be about.
“It shows there are no easy games and it shows we can compete.
“To go to Gawber and get a result and then get a clean sheet against Stocksbridge should fill us with confidence for the season.
“We’re under no illusions that it will be a long and tough season.
“It is a step up in class from last season and those two games show that if we get the team out we want and they want hard then we can compete.”
If the tests against Gawber and Stocksbridge have been tough, the challenge of trying to beat Dodworth is the biggest yet and Rose admits it is a fantastic curtain-raiser.
“It certainly will be a good benchmark to see where we are in the league,” he said.
“We played Dodworth a couple of times in the last few years and we know what a quality outfit they are.
“They are the benchmark for the top three over the last three or four.
“They have been close to winning the title but Swinton have been that good and they couldn’t hold back the storm of Wakefield last season.
“No doubt from knowing Daz (Young) and Dudge (James Dudgeon) they’ll be wanting to win it this year.
“They have recruited some good players and we know what they’ll be about.
“They’ll be organised and they have some talented players and no doubt they’ll be a threat.
“It is a huge test for us but we have to stick to our game-plan and we’ll look to enjoy it and hopefully come out with something.
“We went there the other year in the cup and got a 1-1 draw with ten men so a result is achievable.
“We know we have to be on the top of our games.
“But what an opening day fixture because they’re probably the league favourites.”
Got to fancy wellers for top 5 at least