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New Bracknell Town FC managers Steve McClurg and Richard Whitty
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Hellenic Premier preview: Bracknell Town FC

By Adam Lee
August 10, 2010

Consolidation is key for new-look Bracknell Town

Last season really couldn’t have got much worse for Bracknell Town.

The club had been in gradual decline for nine years, avoiding relegation on a technicality in 2009 before suffering one of the worst campaign’s of any club in the entire football league last season.

Therefore, the task facing new manager Steve McClurg (pictured right) and his assistant Richard Whitty is relatively pressure free.

With no budget, the duo have gone about building a young squad for whom consolidation in this division will be considered a successful season.

But for the club’s loyal fans, who have endured a torrid few years of relegation battle after relegation battle, simply to see the first team get a few wins on the board will be a pleasant change.

However, for a team with only a few players that have gained any Hellenic Premier Division experience, winning games will be easier said than done.

The vast majority of the new-look squad are either graduates from the club’s youth system or have been brought in from local East Berks or Reading Football League clubs.

Seven of the first team have switched from near neighbours Finchampstead, and although the village club hardly set the world alight last season in the division below, they are all young players capable of attractive, free-flowing football, who have the potential to make an impact at a higher level.

A good start will be imperitive for this team, and with a few early wins there is no telling just how well they could do this season.

However, the transition for many may have come a little too soon, and although they will by no means be one of the division’s whipping boys, they may struggle on the wrong side of midtable.

However, for a club that essentially needs to stop the rot and re-find its feet, that would be no disaster.

Boss McClurg will not allow his players to get ahead of themselves, and will rarely look beyond the next game, but he is expecting an exciting season, not only at Larges Lane, but throughout the Bracknell and Wokingham area.

“We’ve got players who we think will do a job, but so have Binfield, Ascot and Wokingham,” said the former Finchampstead and Binfield boss.

“It’s great for the area. We’ve got pretty much 10 home games and hopefully it’ll stir up a lot of interest so that people will come and watch.

“It gives people a choice and hopefully they will come and watch us, be impressed by what they see and come back for more.”

Last season: 24th in Zamaretto Division 1 South & West (relegated).

Prediction for this season: Bracknell’s new-look side is certainly youthful with bags of talent and enthusiasm. However, with only a couple of players with any experience at this level they will find it hard going. A good start is essential if they aim to make an impact. Final position – 16th

New signings: Scott Bursill, Sam Wyatt, Ben Knight, Dean Thomas, Matt Wright (pictured left), Steve Ryan, Robert Yorke-Goldney, Ben Woozley, Liam Woozley, Ben Lyden, Darren Barton-Taylor, Nick Matthews, Gary Campbell, Callum Whitty, Nathan Christian, James Prior.

Key player: Liam Woozley: Should he play regularly and find his form, this skillful and experiened utility man will be central to Bracknell’s success.

One to watch: Tom Nugent: A powerful central midfielder on the brink of the first team for the last two seasons. Strong in the air and will be a real presence in the centre of the park .

First match: Oxford City Nomads, (h) Tuesday, August 10

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