Napster
No ⭐
HONE ASKS FOR PATIENCE
07/08/2009
Spalding United manager Mark Hone has asked fans to be patient this season as he strives to find a side that will be competitive in the UniBond League Division One South.
Hone (pictured), who took over the reins at the club during a turbulent summer that saw Alan Biley resign, has been frantically putting a squad together ahead of the league opener with Witton Albion a week on Saturday.
And despite a growing squad, Hone said the uncertainty over the summer has hampered his preparations and his main aim now is to not finish in the bottom four. He also revealed he is looking to bring in a few more players ahead of the new season.
He said: "I'm realistic. We have no chance of promotion because of the restraints on what I can get through players and staff wise.
"If I can finish above where the club have for the last three seasons I will be fairly satisfied considering the club has had so many managers over the last nine seasons.
"When I first arrived obviously Alan had left, quickly followed by Alex Irvine, and I basically had no players.
"By the time the 15th August comes around I'm hoping to have a starting eleven that is going to be strong.
"It's takes time to wheel and deal players I feel I can trust, that will respond to me and I can build a rapport with.
"I feel I need a centre forward, another left-sided player and possibly one or two other additions, probably in the back line and midfield, but certainly I need a left-sided player.
"All I can say to the fans is that they be patient and get behind us; results may be a bit hit-and-miss at the start but then the players will get bedded down."
Next on the agenda for the ex-Crystal Palace, Southend United and England semi-professional international defender is the visit of rivals Boston United on Saturday, with a bumper crowd expected at the Halley Stewart Playing Field.
The match will bring the curtains down on a disjointed pre-season for the Tulips, which has seen them lose to Corby Town, Peterborough Northern Star, Wisbech Town, Deeping Rangers and a cup loss to Grantham Town.
Hone's absence at some of these games has hardly helped, with the manager having a pre-booked holiday before he took charge at Spalding.
But Hone has challenged his team to put up a fight against the Pilgrims as they fight for their places in the first team against Witton.
He added: "Pre-season has been a bit disappointing as we've had two managers already in during it and obviously I had a holiday booked so I could not get out of that.
"All I'm looking for against Boston is for them to work hard and put in an honest performance in which they express themselves.
"I want to win every football match I'm in and I realise that's not going to be the case so I just want the lads to go and enjoy it in front of what should be a big crowd against a team with a substantially larger budget."
07/08/2009
Spalding United manager Mark Hone has asked fans to be patient this season as he strives to find a side that will be competitive in the UniBond League Division One South.
Hone (pictured), who took over the reins at the club during a turbulent summer that saw Alan Biley resign, has been frantically putting a squad together ahead of the league opener with Witton Albion a week on Saturday.
And despite a growing squad, Hone said the uncertainty over the summer has hampered his preparations and his main aim now is to not finish in the bottom four. He also revealed he is looking to bring in a few more players ahead of the new season.
He said: "I'm realistic. We have no chance of promotion because of the restraints on what I can get through players and staff wise.
"If I can finish above where the club have for the last three seasons I will be fairly satisfied considering the club has had so many managers over the last nine seasons.
"When I first arrived obviously Alan had left, quickly followed by Alex Irvine, and I basically had no players.
"By the time the 15th August comes around I'm hoping to have a starting eleven that is going to be strong.
"It's takes time to wheel and deal players I feel I can trust, that will respond to me and I can build a rapport with.
"I feel I need a centre forward, another left-sided player and possibly one or two other additions, probably in the back line and midfield, but certainly I need a left-sided player.
"All I can say to the fans is that they be patient and get behind us; results may be a bit hit-and-miss at the start but then the players will get bedded down."
Next on the agenda for the ex-Crystal Palace, Southend United and England semi-professional international defender is the visit of rivals Boston United on Saturday, with a bumper crowd expected at the Halley Stewart Playing Field.
The match will bring the curtains down on a disjointed pre-season for the Tulips, which has seen them lose to Corby Town, Peterborough Northern Star, Wisbech Town, Deeping Rangers and a cup loss to Grantham Town.
Hone's absence at some of these games has hardly helped, with the manager having a pre-booked holiday before he took charge at Spalding.
But Hone has challenged his team to put up a fight against the Pilgrims as they fight for their places in the first team against Witton.
He added: "Pre-season has been a bit disappointing as we've had two managers already in during it and obviously I had a holiday booked so I could not get out of that.
"All I'm looking for against Boston is for them to work hard and put in an honest performance in which they express themselves.
"I want to win every football match I'm in and I realise that's not going to be the case so I just want the lads to go and enjoy it in front of what should be a big crowd against a team with a substantially larger budget."
