Pic: Aaron Rupton
NEW Altrincham boss Phil Parkinson expects the club to be fighting for promotion next season after two successive relegations.
The Robins announced that the Nantwich Town boss was their new manager on Friday, a day before their dreadful season came to an end.
Alty won just four National League North games following their relegation from Non-League's top flight last season and they will be kicking off next term at Step 3.
Parkinson knows a thing or two about competing at the top of the Evo-Stik NPL Premier following a successful two-and-a-half years in charge of Nantwich.
He transformed the Dabbers from strugglers to promotion contenders, guiding them into the play-offs this season before losing to Spennymoor in the semi-finals. The Cheshire outfit also made it into the last four of the FA Trophy last term.
The job the former Nantwich player has done at the Weaver Stadium caught the eye of Alty chairman Grahame Rowley and Parkinson accepted the offer of taking over at Moss Lane.
Parkinson told Altrincham's website: “It is a massive privilege, an absolute honour. It's such an historical, huge club. To be manager here is something I have always aspired to, in terms of kicking on in management. This is a massive, massive step for me to take. I am really looking forward to it and relishing the challenge. I just can't wait for it to begin now.
“The team are in freefall after two successive relegations, but, for me, next season is going to be all about positives, nothing else. We are going to have a promotion push. We are going to be a team pushing at the top end of the table.
“Myself and Neil (Sorvel) know how to do that, with regards to setting up teams at this level. We know how to win games at this level and, hopefully, that will breed through to the players.
“I only see good things moving forward for Altrincham, otherwise I would not be here. If I didn't realistically think I could make that happen, I wouldn't have taken the job.
“I'm sure that after two really poor seasons, these players will want to be part of a promotion push, rather than a relegation battle, and will be relishing the chance to make it happen. If I was a player, I know I would want that.
“I'll find out a bit more about these lads this coming week, then I'll know what I need to bring in and what I'll be retaining.”
