Hucknall Town boss backs club's strength in depth

Hucknall Town manager Andy Graves is confident his side are in better shape this season.

Town kick off the new East Midlands Counties League season at home to Shirebrook Town with a top four spot the target.

And Graves feels the Yellows will feel the benefits of having a stronger reserve team this time out.

“I am really pleased with the reserves this year,” he said. “There is depth and quality there and I used four or five of them in pre-season.

“We have not massively changed things, we have brought three players in and that is it.

“Top four has to be the target. We aren't going to break the bank to get there.

“I now know I'm happy to dip into the reserves without having to go looking for someone.

“We think we have more depth this year and it give us a chance to rotate, which we did when we won the league when we got promoted.

“You still have the balancing act of keeping people happy, but I think the reserves will be competitive and that will make people more inclined to be a part of that as well.”

But the Hucknall boss is taking nothing for granted and knows it will still be a difficult balancing act throughout the campaign.

“At our level you have people who have to work, so midweek games are not the best,” he added.

“They are more rushed. Some people finish work at 6 and need to be at the ground at 6.30pm. The warm-ups and everything is totally different.

“But that can happen on a Saturday as well and it is what it is, we are used to it.

“If you are doing well and in contention then there is the mentality of the players being more inclined to put themselves out and want to be a part of it.

“All we say at Hucknall is we do things as professionally as possible and all they need to do is turn up and put the effort in.

“Work rate is key, you can be best player three levels up but if you don't work you’re a waste of time to everybody.

“Effort and determination makes a massive difference. You are off the ball more than you are on it so if you just stand around and be lazy instead of making runs then you are going to lose out.”