It’s been a torrid start to the Central Midlands Alliance season for Premier South outfit, Teversal, and, following the stepping aside of Callum Harris in late August, and the ensuing, interim stewardship, the Tevie Boys not only have a new manager at the helm, but he’s already mixing things up.
Dave Turner, previously of Premier South high-fliers South Normanton Athletic, recently parted company with them, having begun the season with an 11-match, unbeaten run, and pushed them to the top of the league.
Now, he’s swapping top, for bottom, as he takes charge of a Teversal side who, having won their second match of the season, 6-5 at Mansfield Hosiery Mills, have been on a 10-match losing streak (league); they have in fact only won one other match in their fifteen outings, a 7-0 home win in the Notts FA County Cup against Cotgrave Development.
“Although it’s been a rushed and a last minute, there’ll be four or five available on Saturday (away to fifth place Cromford & Wirksworth), this is a good project for me and a lovely club to be at,” began Dave Turner, the new man in the Teversal hot-seat.
“The backing is there, and it feels right, so, fingers crossed we can do what needs to be done; I’ll assess where we are after the next two games though and see what I’ve got to work with.
“Leaving South Normanton, yes, it was a bit of a shock, but it was their decision and I wish them all the best; I was though, actually going to take a little bit of a break from the game, but this is the right club, at the right time.”
“You can play all the pretty football in the world, but, and especially at this level, all the work and damage is often done in around the six-yard area.
“Although a couple of players have left, those I’ve brought in are what is needed, older heads who’ve been there and done it at these levels.”
Seven signings, and counting, Turner, and the team behind the scenes at Tevie, have certainly been busy this week; ex-Bakewell Town and Sandiacre Town shot-stopper Charlie Clayton has joined the club alongside full-back/central midfielder James Barry from AFC Normanton.
A couple of wingers have been added to the mix in Sam Jackson (from Ollerton Town) and Owen Ryan (Kiveton Miners Welfare), whilst there’s also the addition of the unattached trio in central midfielder Oliver Rouse, number ten Callum Brown, and forward Lee Clay.
The latter of those will bring much-needed fire-power to a Tevie front-line, those thirteen goals netted in the games with Mansfield HM and Cotgrave Devs, they make up the majority of what Tevie have bagged this season, scoring just nineteen in all competitions, and conceding 50+ along the way.
It really has been that kind of season for them, and one that now sees the incoming Turner, starting from scratch, at the foot of the division, with around ten points to make up just to get them out of the relegation zone.
Only four players have scored two or more thus far, Benjamin Partridge with five, three of which came in that 6-5 win, whilst Luca Cancello, William Hall (both against Cotgrave Devs), and Kye Pilmore (against Gresley Rovers Reserves), have two apiece.
Granted Tevie exited the Buckingham Insurance League Challenge Cup at the weekend, in their last outing, but it wasn’t an exit to be ashamed of.
Turner was watching on as a rear-guard action from the hosts saw them hold fourth bottom Holbrook Sports to a goalless draw, before exiting on penalties.
Turner took positives from that, and rightly so, the result being only the second time they’ve not conceded, adding: “that 0-0 draw was a positive result for us, we just lacked in the final third, and with some on-field decision-making.
“Hopefully that will be the catalyst to build upon, especially with two big games up next (Cromford & Wirksworth away, and current leaders Graham Street Prims at the Tomlin Personnel Park, Carnarvon Street).
“We have to look at things a game at a time though, and who knows what will happen, we may even pull a shock in those two games.
“We’ll take whatever positives we can though, roll our sleeves up, and work on the job at hand.”
After that baptism of fire for Turner, against two of the top teams in the Premier South, the rest of 2024 sees the relegation dog-fight take centre stage, Tevie facing off against four of the teams around them at the bottom end of the table.
The first of those is a trip to fourth-bottom Holbrook Sports (30 November), before early December sees Tevie welcome fifth-bottom Mickleover Reserves (7 December); a road trip to sixth-bottom Bakewell Town (14 December) is followed two weeks later, games being either side of the festive break, a hosting of third bottom AFC Normanton (28 December).
(above placings correct as of 14 November 2024)
As for what needs to happen moving forward, Turner continued by saying that; “It’s a weird time at present in the league (for Tevie), so we just need to make sure we get ourselves out of this mire, and out of the relegation zone.
“We need to make sure that we start picking up points, winning games, and not concentrate on what everyone else is doing.”
Alongside Dave Turner on the Tevie coaching staff, he’s joined by Ryan Booker (assistant manager), Dan Williams, as well as Spencer Commons and Darren Smith (pictured above); their first official outing is this Saturday (16 November) when Teversal travel to fifth-placed Cromford & Wirksworth, before welcoming the current leaders Graham Street Prims, to Carnarvon Street, a week later (23 November).
Keep up-to-date with all the goings-on at Teversal via their Facebook here X/Twitter here and website here.
*Article provided by Peter Mann (Senior Correspondent).
*Main image @TeversalFC Dave Turner (centre) with his Teversal Management team.
