North Ferriby United

Ferriby’s new manager, Steve Housham, was in good spirits at the team’s first pre-season training session.

He told the players before they started the session that the coming season was a new chapter and a new start. It provided a great opportunity for the players as they will be playing at a national level, many of them for the first time. They will be on television each week, either in a live game or in the BT highlights package.

Housham’s message was simple,
“Go out and enjoy it!”

The last three weeks had been hectic, admitted Housham. He and his assistant manager, Darryn Stamp, had spoken to all the players who were registered with the club and they were all given the opportunity to sign-up for the coming season.

“Unfortunately, a number of players have chosen to leave and we have to draft in some new players,” commented Housham. “We have a mixture of young players and a number of experienced ones at the moment. Darryn and myself are obviously looking at a number of players, some of whom are at today’s training session. Hopefully we will be signing-up players in the next week or so. These things always take time. We know that it is frustrating for the fans and we just ask them to be patient.

“We all know it will be a challenging season. The players are part-time with other jobs. They will be playing in a league where most sides are full-time and a large number are ex-Football League clubs.

“We need to make home advantage count. Some opposing players will be a bit dismayed when they come to a ground as small as ours. That could play to our advantage. We know we will be the underdogs in virtually every game but that is not going to worry us. Our message to the players is to go out, give their best and enjoy each game as it comes.

“Darryn and myself want a side that will play football and as clubs advance up the levels, players always get time and space to play.

“I’m glad of the opportunity to manage Ferriby. The three months since I left Gainsborough is the first time I’ve been out of football for twenty-odd years and it was strange experience. Having managed at Brigg and Gainsborough, I’m well aware of what Ferriby have achieved over recent years and that success is amazing.”

Assistant manager Darryn Stamp commented,
“We can’t wait to get started. This has been a rather different close season to what Steve and myself have been used to. For the last few years we have finished one season and immediately begun preparing for the next. This year we have had around three weeks between joining the club and starting pre-season training. We are delighted that so many players have stayed and we are look to strengthen and increase the squad.”