Here’s wishing a really Happy Christmas to all Pontefract Collieries, and a very Happy 2011.

With 19 out of our 38 League games played, today seems a perfect opportunity to present my “half time” report, and look forward to what 2011 may have in store for the team.

At the start of the season, I felt that I had a squad capable of challenging for the championship, with the right blend of youth and experience, which I have ever enjoyed before at the club. I feel that the squad has strong leaders throughout – players with the right winning mentality and a “professional” approach to the game. Obviously, the fact that we are unbeaten in 11 league games and are sitting at the top of the league on Christmas Day is very pleasing, and the first time in living memory that the club has been able to celebrate the Christmas No 1 spot! The fact that it comes at the half-way stage is also quite appropriate, although the two teams immediately behind us – Staveley and Barton Town – have yet to reach the half-way mark, having games in hand on us as 2010 turns into 2011. 

However pleased I may be to be at the top of the league, this is tinged with frustration at the fact that we have dropped some really silly points, without which we could have been in an even stronger position. As the clashes against other top of the table teams have shown, we are more than a match for any team in the league. In fact, we have played some of our best football against the stronger teams, and not been over-run by any of them. If the league was a “mini league” of the top six or seven teams, we would be well away! We have played both our main promotion rivals away from home and while we have drawn both matches, we have bossed them for all except a crazy ten minute spell at Staveley. In fact, we remain the only unbeaten team away from home.

The fact is that we have dropped points against lower ranked teams, which is hugely frustrating, but does reflect how strong the league is this year. It is a really competitive division, in which any team can beat any other team on their day, as the excellent performance by second-bottom Appleby Frodingham at our place suggested. There are good teams in the bottom half of the table, no doubt. This division is a strong as I can ever remember it being, with some excellent teams, and some clubs with some serious funding for us to compete with. Early in November, it looked as though the top three were pulling away. By today, we have been pegged back, and there are five or six teams with a serious chance of promotion, and several others close enough to push on and come into the reckoning. Teams will take points off each other throughout the remainder of the season, as they have done to date. 

Although any team in the league would like to be in our position, we are well aware that no team ever got promoted for being top on Christmas Day, and no league was ever won by January. Although teams can blow their chances before the turn of the year, they cannot win anything, and we are well aware that we have not won anything yet. There is no sense of a job done around our squad, I can tell you, just a steely determination that we will take advantage of the good position we have put ourselves in. And that’s all we have done, so far – given ourselves a great platform to push on and get ourselves promoted, hopefully as Champions.

It is important that we don’t rest on our laurels, and that we kick on, work on improving our performances, and bust a gut to make sure the second half of the season is better than the first. With 37 points from our first 19 games, I believe that at least another 40 are required from our second 19. The message from this is clear: although we are not far away, we need to improve, not slip backwards. There is much hard work left to be done, and it will get harder from now, as teams will always raise their game against league leaders. We are now seen as a big scalp for teams, who will always raise their game for top teams such as ours. Additionally, several of our promotion rivals have greater financial clout than ourselves and have not been afraid to spend big money in the push for promotion, making several marquee signings in the pursuit of promotion. As I’ve said, we’ve given ourselves a good platform, but the hard work is still in front of us.

I hope that our players do not feel daunted by the challenge, but excited by it. There are many reasons to be positive. The squad are certainly good enough, providing they show the application, hard work and determination they will need to win this league. The morale within the squad is fantastic – the best I have ever known – with a real camaraderie and winning team spirit. We have no “super egos” or “prima donnas” in the squad, but a healthy, competitive spirit, which is typical of winners. The players have a fantastic attitude to their football, evidenced by great attendance and performance at training, a terrific habit of retrieving games with a “never say die” attitude, and a positive commitment to their own development and the development of the club. Our performances so far show what can be achieved by good teamwork, spirit and hard work, on top of talent.

We have also used the big freeze to bolster the squad by signing a couple of players, and I am delighted that Andy Broadbent and Sam Dobbs are now on board. They are both top quality players who will enhance our team without upsetting the balance – I did not feel it necessary or desirable to “fix what isn’t broken” and risk upsetting the great camaraderie within the squad by making wholesale additions. Sam’s addition will mean that we have two top goalkeepers at the club, while Andy will be the perfect replacement for Josh Wright, who is out for the rest of the season. We all wish Josh well!  

We are sorry that Joe Thornton has indicated that he will be leaving the club in the next few days, and we wish him well. We need players who are committed to the club, the team and their team-mates, so we did not stand in his way when he expressed his desire to leave. A team is about commitment, togetherness, and desire, and when a player loses these for whatever reason, it is sometimes best to let them go – although we would rather he was not joining one of our promotion rivals. I am happy with our squad, the competition for places will be healthy, and I am delighted that our players understand the need for competition and rotation, and are mature enough to see the big picture for the team. 

On a personal note, I have to say that it is a real pleasure managing this group of players. Their attitude is fantastic, in training, on the pitch, and towards the club and the management team. They know what is expected of them, and their positive attitude will, I am confident, carry them through. I must also personally thank the Chairman – who has been fantastic since joining us late last season – and the officials and committee of the club for their terrific support. For the first time in my tenure at the club, I feel that everybody in the club is pulling in the same direction, and this has made a big, big difference within the club. There is a real sense of unity and purpose, and it is no accident that the club are getting the rewards in the results on the pitch, and focusing on promotion.

Although I do not take an active role in the development of the Juniors and Academy sides (oh, to be a full-time football manager!) it is also fantastic that the Juniors sides are doing so well, and that the Academy is flourishing under John Redford’s guidance. I have signed three U19s players up for the NCEL for the remainder of the season, which will also add variety to our options and allow the lads the taste of first team football. Ian Burchnall has also been a great addition to the team, providing leadership in all aspects of football development, and developing the professionalism of our coaching and player management. With the right people in place, and the whole club pulling in the same direction, I feel that the future for Pontefract Collieries has never been brighter.

Let’s hope that the weather allows us to get started again on the 27^th with the big local derby against Glasshoughton. A big crowd acting as “12^th man” would be a real boost. It has been terrific to see many new faces in the crowd at The White Rose Stadium this season, with the youngsters in particular adding some vocal support. The players certainly appreciate this. Hopefully, this is just the start, and the people of Pontefract will start to realise that their club is moving in the right direction, and start supporting the team in greater numbers in 2011.

In summary, we have made a solid start – we are happy to be top at Christmas – but there is a huge challenge ahead, in a strong league, against strong rivals. We will need to be up for it to reach our goal. With the right attitude, we can roll our sleeves up, kick on, and achieve our aims of promotion and the championship in 2011.

Finally, I would like to wish you all a great Christmas, and a happy, prosperous New Year.

Simon Houghton
Manager
Pontefract Collieries Football Club