Toolstation NCEL Division One
The past 12 months has seen Rossington Main make huge strides on-and-off-the-field, according to Ben Hunter.
Achievements include reaching the play-offs and increasing attendances and Hunter has declared 2022 as a success.
“We’ve got such great volunteers and we’re thriving as a club,” Hunter told Non League Yorkshire.
“In the last few home games we have had over 150 people there watching.
“When we first came in (in 2019) we had less than 80 on average.
“We’ve brought the community in and the Dan (Linstrum), the new chairman, has worked really hard and there’s a real sense of community.
“For me that’s a bigger win than (success) on-the-field on a Saturday.
“That’s not to detract from my ambition and the club’s ambition to get up.
“Ultimately only one team can go up and only one team can go up through the play-offs and there are a lot of strong teams in the league so we don’t just measure winning by three points on a Saturday afternoon.
“It is a lot deeper than that and because I’m from Rossington it is about more than a winning first team.
“We have a strong second team and we have launched a new female team so all these things are really positive for the local community and that’s why I’m here.”
Reaching the play-offs semi-final is clearly the pinnacle of 2022 and Hunter says it has helped change outsiders’ perceptions of his club.
“Getting into the play-offs has made people look at Rossington Main differently perhaps,” he said.
“I didn’t really play for Rossington as a player but when I did it was like we were seen as a low down the table team.
“Now we are respected as a good footballing team and I’m proud of that and proud of making the play-offs.”
Replicating last season’s top five finish has always been the minimum goal for Rossington.
Rosso are fourth, 11 points adrift of runaway leaders Campion.
Hunter only has eyes on his own team and is not getting drawn into talk about the title race.
“I’m very optimistic (about whether Campion will be caught) and I’ve seen when playing football and during my short time managing teams that anything can happen,” he said.
“But I’m not really focussed on Campion and I haven’t been all season.
“Ourselves are my main focus.
“At the start of the season we were trying to improve on our fifth placed position from last season and that has always been the goal for the group.
“Whether or not we can catch Campion, who knows, but it is not really in our thought process.
“It is about making sure we control what we control and that’s Rossington games.
“100% it would be a disappointment if we fell away from the play-offs and I wouldn’t shy away from that.
“We have got a lot of great stuff going on off-the-field which I’m proud to be part of but I’m not afraid to say that for us to drop out of the play-offs, that would be upsetting.
“I’d be really disappointed because we set our stall out from day one.
“I think we have a good enough squad to be in-and-around the play-offs.”
Rossington, who are scheduled to host Beverley Town this weekend, were in great form prior to the cold snap having beaten Wakefield AFC, Selby Town and Staveley Miners Welfare.
Hunter added: “(The bad weather) is bad timing but it gives us time to have a break.
“We have been really happy with the last three results, three great results against three tough teams.
“Momentum-wise, hopefully it will carry on.
“It is the same for all clubs so it is one of those things.”