T PRESIDENT’S ADDRESS

Neville Wigglesworth

ANYONE, EVEN THOSE WITH A VERY LIMITED KNOWLEDGE OF FOOTBALL, WOULD BE ABLE TO TAKE A GLANCE AT THE NORTHERN PREMIER

LEAGUE DIVISION ONE EAST LEAGUE TABLE AND REASONABLY PREDICT THAT WORKSOP TOWN WILL EVENTUALLY BE CROWNED CHAMPIONS COME THE FINAL DAY OF THE SEASON SUCH IS THEIR DOMINANCE AT THE TOP OF THE LADDER.

THEY MIGHT ALSO COMFORTABLY WORK OUT THAT TADCASTER ALBION, CURRENTLY 8 POINTS ADRIFT AT THE FOOT OF THE TABLE, ARE ODDS ON TO FACE RELEGATION TO THE NORTHERN COUNTIES EAST LEAGUE. ONCE THOSE TWO FACTORS ARE TAKEN OUT OF THE EQUATION ANYTHING MIGHT HAPPEN BETWEEN NOW AND THE FINAL DAY ON SATURDAY APRIL 22ND SUCH IS THE TIGHTNESS OF THIS DIVISION.

IN MY RECENT PROGRAMME NOTES FOR THE HOME GAME AGAINST SHILDON I WAS OBSERVING THAT A WIN THAT DAY COULD, DEPENDENT ON OTHER RESULTS GOING OUR WAY, ELEVATE US AT LEAST TO THE FRINGES OF THE END OF SEASON PLAY-OFF POSITIONS. IN THE EVENT WE ONLY MANGED A DRAW IN THAT GAME AND HAVE SINCE REGISTERED ANOTHER VERY CREDITABLE DRAW AWAY AT HEBBURN TOWN AND A SOMEWHAT DISAPPOINTING LOSS AT HOME TO SHEFFIELD.

A RESULT INSTEAD OF LOOKING AT MAKING THE PLAY-OFFS WE ARE NOW ONLY 6 POINTS ABOVE A CLUB CURRENTLY IN THE BOTTOM FOUR. NO OUTCOMES ARE PREDICTABLE IN THIS LEAGUE AND NOBODY CAN RELAX SAFE IN THE KNOWLEDGE THAT THEY WON’T BE SUCKED INTO BOTTOM OF THE TABLE DOG FIGHT. EVERY GAME BETWEEN NOW AND APRIL 22ND IS SIGNIFICANT FOR 18 OF THE 20 TEAMS WHO COMPRISE DIVISION ONE EAST AND THAT IS AN EXTREMELY RARE SITUATION TO BE IN.

INCONSISTENCY IS PERHAPS OSSETT UNITED’S NUMBER ONE PROBLEM AT THE MOMENT AND THIS WAS NEVER MORE OBVIOUSLY HIGHLIGHTED THAN BY THE HIGHLY DISAPPOINTING LOSS AT HOME TO SHEFFIELD. THIS WAS A GAME WHERE THE LESS SAID ABOUT IT THE BETTER SO, HAVING SAID THAT, I MOVE ON WITHOUT FURTHER COMMENT.

WITH 11 GAMES LEFT STARTING WITH TODAY WE ARE NOT ENTIRELY OUT OF THE RUNNING TO MAKE THE PLAY-OFFS BUT WE NEED TO STRING A RUN OF POSITIVE RESULTS TOGETHER AND SEE WHERE THAT TAKES US. THIS AFTERNOON WOULD BE A GOOD STARTING POINT. LONG

EATON UNITED WERE OUR OPPONENTS FOR THE CURRENT MANAGEMENT TEAM’S FIRST GAME IN CHARGE AND THEY WERE BELOW US IN THE TABLE

AT THAT TIME. WE GAINED A VERY IMPRESSIVE 2 -

0 VICTORY ON THAT DAY BUT SINCE THEN LONG

EATON HAVE DISCOVERED THE CONSISTENCY WE ARE LOOKING FOR AND LOOK WHERE THAT HAS