IF there's one man who can turn fortunes around at Stalybridge Celtic, then it has to be Steve Burr.
Bower Fold die-hards haven't forgotten the good times during Burr's first spell where he led them to the brink of the Conference National.
Seven years after leaving the club, he took to the Conference North play-off final, the former Nuneaton Borough, Hucknall, Kidderminster, Chester and Southport boss is tasked with revitalising them again.
Chairman Rob Gorski probably always knew Burr didn't have enough time to work his magic at the end of last season.
When he returned in February, they had just 15 points from 27 games and hurtling towards Step 3.
But now it's a fresh start. Burr has brought in ten new players as part of his rebuilding so far, and also appointed former Celtic boss and player Keith Briggs as his assistant.
And bringing the enjoyment back is the number one priority.
Characters
“Rob Gorski, the chairman, is still very much committed to having success with the club – as are all the other directors,” Burr told The NLP.
“It's the same directors as were here when I left for Kiddy. That just shows the commitment they've put in.
“What they were served up last year was not the commitment they've been showing off the park. That's why I said to Rob I'll stay on and try to get them back up. It's not going to be easy. But we'll get lads with a good team spirit. We want to put a smile back on people's faces and get them enjoying it.”
Greg Wilkinson, who was given his first-team debut at Stalybridge when he was 16 by Burr, is back and there are new faces like former Nantwich and Trafford striker Aaron Burns.
Andrew Langford has followed Burns from Trafford, experienced centre-back Adam Jones has returned to the club as has keeper Lewis King.
Lee Neville, Paul ‘Charlie' Ennis and Gary Gee have signed, while Burr is excited about the promise Alex Honeyball and Lassana Nalatche Mendes have to offer. One thing Burr's sure of is that he's getting the right characters.
“Some of the things I've found hard is talking to players from lower down and the money they think they can command,” Burr said. “In the end I've just washed my hands of it. Either they're wanting a contract, a signing on fee or they get an offer and say, ‘No, this is what I need'. Lads I had at Chester, Kiddy and Southport weren't even on that type of money.
“You think, ‘Well, you don't warrant that at the minute because you haven't achieved anything'.
“That's why the ones we have signed have been a joy to speak to and bring in. They're coming into the club hungry to do well and they tick the boxes for the club. It's easier because you know you're getting the right type of character.”
Burr's also determined to show why he's been one of Non-League's most respected managers over the years.
“For me, it's also important I do well,” he added. “I said to Rob I'll stay on and I want to stay on to be successful.
“I'm a manager who likes being in work. I took the job back on at the end of last season because I was out of work. But I've always been loyal to clubs and I want to do that here. Hopefully I can get a good side together that plays entertaining football and have the chance to move up with Stalybridge. Or it might alert clubs higher up again to say, ‘There's plenty left in the tank yet'.
“Probably when you drop down people think, ‘Oh, maybe he's had his day in the Conference Prem'. But I don't look at it like that.
“I was out of work and I wanted a job. You hear people saying, ‘I'm going to wait to see what comes up'. Well you can wait and wait. There's a lot of managers who are in it for a couple of seasons and then you never hear from them again.
“What is the right job? If you're working, you're working. That's always been important to me. You want that buzz. I love that. Pre-season is coming up, the league campaign will soon be underway and it's a new group.
“Of all the new players so far it's only Greg Wilkinson I've worked with before. I like that new challenge of working with lads, getting to know how they are, and then I obviously know the club too. I want to be successful for them because I know how hard they work.”
Burr says he felt the doom and gloom as soon as he walked back through the door. But after some seasons of struggle, he feels the club must be positive too.
Unhappy
“I think we managed to lift that a bit and give them some memorable games at the end of the season,” said Burr, referring to wins against title winners AFC Fylde and former club Kiddy.
“But wherever you are, if you're not winning, it can be like a morgue. Everyone's miserable, no one's enjoying it from the players, supporters, chairman.
“Now it's about getting that feel-good factor. We've got a great set-up in the academy. Dave Sullivan and Ian Milligan, who run it, are doing a terrific job and hopefully that will bear fruit during the season where we get one or two through.
“We've brought Briggsy back in as my assistant and he'll be involved with the academy as well. All the stuff we're doing off the park is right. We've just got to make the right recruitment to win games and be at the right end of the table competing.”
Excellent write up on Stalybridge Celtic.Very Pleasing.