Rainworth Miners Welfare have appointed a new management team of Richard Smith and Craig Weston ahead of the 2020/21 East Midlands Counties League season.
Weston and Smith have experience in the EMCL, winning the division with Selston FC in 2018/19 season. The pair are close friends and have multiple years’ experience as a management duo.
Smith believes that strong squad depth is key in achieving success in the division, an area in which Rainworth often struggled last season.
Smith said: “It’s massively important at this level, when you’ve got players who can’t make every game due to work or family commitments it’s crucial that you have a player to step in if someone is unavailable and that’s an area we hope to strengthen.“
The club’s new management team do not believe the squad needs a complete overhaul of players, suggesting that a small number of new additions may make the difference for the Wrens this season.
Smith said: “We will be looking to bring in players that we know can do the job but that doesn’t mean we are going to make wholesale changes.
“Maybe it’s a case that we need to tweak a few areas rather than bring in a whole new squad as it doesn’t look like the games they’ve lost have been by huge margins.”
One of the greatest achievements in the pair’s careers so far is their title win at Selston. Smith insists that was down to a strong team spirit, something that he hopes he can recreate at Rainworth.
He said: “At Selston they were all very local lads that were all in it together, the dressing room had been built over many years and that’s something we want to create at Rainworth.
“We want to develop a strong core of local lads who want to play for the club but it means something to them to play here. We want this to encourage local fans to come and watch local players and create a strong family feel around the club for the future.”
Smith concluded by saying: “All you can ask of players and managers is that they do better than they did in the previous seasons and that’s exactly what we are aiming for.”
*Article provided by Max Barton (Rainworth Miners Welfare Correspondent).
*Main image @EKAdvertiser Craig Weston (pictured) takes charge with Richard Smith as Co Manager.
