Craig Lynch says his Morpeth team will need to be more consistent next season

Morpeth Town manager Craig Lynch wants more consistency from his players next season. Picture: George Davidson.

Manager Craig Lynch is wanting his squad to show improved consistency next season, after discovering who Morpeth Town will face in the coming campaign.

The allocations for leagues in non-league have been released, with Town facing games against newly promoted Macclesfield – owned by former footballer Robbie Savage – Workington and Worksop Town, with Ilkeston Town also moving up.

Basford United provide a familiar historic foe, with Bradford Park Avenue coming down to the Premier for the new season.

With six new sides in the division, it will certainly deliver new hurdles to overcome.

“A new season will present new challenges,” said manager Lynch.

“We let ourselves down against newly promoted teams in the league last year, for whatever reason, and we have to put that right this season.

“People forget, due to Covid, last season was only our second full season at this level and we need to learn from the experiences over the two seasons – the good and the bad – and build consistency, which we have lacked through both campaigns.

“The league is always going to be difficult.

“Two great teams in South Shields and Warrington Town moving up have been replaced by the team coming down, as well as Workington and Macclesfield.

“Ilkeston and Basford are two solid teams who have been here before.

“It’s going to be another tough league for everyone – consistency is going to be key.”

Looking even further into the future, Morpeth Town’s academy is inviting those aged 18 on August 31 who have been released from professional academies or are leaving college football programmes to join the U19 squad.

Those selected for the academy will train full-time under the watching eye of the first team coaches and will be paid to play semi-professional senior football as well as representing the academy in the National Football Youth League.

Academy players also study sports coaching or trades in engineering and construction as part of the U19 programme, to help them progress both on and off the pitch.

The academy reached the National Football Youth League League Trophy final this month, losing on penalties to Crystal Palace at West Bromwich Albion’s ground, The Hawthorns.

For information on the U19 programme contact: [email protected]