COLNE chairman Dave Blacklock hasn’t allowed the winter weather to dampen his spirits and believes the team can begin to spring up the table very soon.
The Reds have managed to play just three times since the end of November due to the poor conditions and are languishing in mid-table.
Before the game against AFC Liverpool two weeks ago, the harsh seasonal weather had rendered the pitch at the XLCR Stadium unplayable for the majority of the winter months, despite the best efforts of the groundstaff: “It’s been difficult to play matches and the shadow from the stand and the dressing rooms hasn’t helped. First the pitch was too wet, then it’s frozen,” said Blacklock.
Blacklock also acknowledged that the loss of key players to injury has cost the team this season: “We’ve had a lot of long term to key players which hasn’t been ideal. Michael Cruz has been out for a while. So have Ted Cockett (above) and Joe Garvin (left), so that’s really caused some problems.
“Sometimes you can have a few players missing over the course of a season and you can get by, but when key players are injured you really begin to struggle.”
Manager Nigel Coates and his coaching staff have been doing their best to keep the players in peak physical condition with regular training sessions: “The lads have trained every time a match has been called off,” said Blacklock: “They have been training mid-week and on Saturdays when the games have been called off, like this weekend.”
An indifferent campaign has seen Colne lose as many games as they have won. Since their promotion to the North West Counties Premier League in 2004, the Reds have only once failed to achieve a top half finish and Blacklock sees no reason why this record shouldn’t continue: “I don’t see why we can’t finish in the top half, maybe get in to the top 5 or 6 if we have a good run of form. It definitely hasn’t been the best season we’ve had, but that could be down to the long term injuries.”
Blacklock remains constantly aware of the current economic climate and financial troubles threatening to engulf clubs in non-league football: “It’s really hard work this time of year, the bills keep rolling in even though we’re not playing.”
It is still not known when the postponed matches will be played, but Blacklock remains confident of gaining the wins needed to propel the Reds up the table: “We’ve got games in hand. I know they’re not points, but if we can get some results from them we can start climbing the table.
“I know we’ve got players missing, but we’ve just got to get by.”
Next up for Colne is a trip to fellow mid-table side Maine Road, a team that Blacklock is confident they can beat: “We’re certainly capable of winning the game.”
After that the Reds face a mixed run of games including a visit from table toppers Bootle and a potentially tricky away match against relegation threatened St Helens Town.