Danny Grainger: We’ll be ready
First-team manager Danny Grainger says his Reds side will be ready for the new season whenever it starts.
With non-league football still in the dark regarding when it can return, Grainger and his staff have been taking training session to ensure suitable preparations are in place.
Speaking after training on Tuesday, the boss spoke about how the lads are looking, being ready for the challenge and our summer recruitment.
“It’s been a long time since Tadcaster away,” said Grainger.
“The boys have looked after the themselves through the lockdown and we’ve sent them plenty of challenges through Ruddy [Steven Rudd] and Fearny [Lee Fearn].
“They’ve come back in good shape and it’s been good to see them back on the training pitch so we’re looking forward to getting back to the games – whenever that may be.”
With the 2019-20 campaign being declared null and void, the task for Reds this term will be to repeat our table-topping effort.
Although the pain will still be there, Grainger is adamant his men are readying themselves for the no-doubt even more difficult battle.
“Obviously, it’s a disappointment and it still hurts but come the first game of the season, we’ll be ready to kick on and be hungry for success again.
“We’ll put it to the back of our minds, because what’s happened’s happened and we can’t do anything about that but we can affect next season.”
🔙 Fitness with Fearny returns! Our players are putting in the graft again 💪
🔴⚪️ | #COYR pic.twitter.com/o4ug9yDm3j
— Workington AFC (@WorkingtonAFC) July 7, 2020
With every fit squad member from last season signed up for another year, the 33-year-old said he was ‘really happy’ with his summer recruitment before elaborating.
“Ruddy and I sat down at the end of last season and we spoke about who we wanted to retain and where we needed to strengthen,” he explained.
“I think we were very lucky last year in that we didn’t lose many players for a significant period.
“If we’d lost the likes of Scotty [Alisson] or Dav [Symington], we’d have probably been a bit light at the top end of the pitch.
“We’ve also lost Nathan [Waterston] for a few months. He’s had his shoulder operation so we all wish him well for that.
He then moved on to our two new faces, saying: “We’ve brought in Pottsy [Louis Potts] who’s a fantastic talent and expect him come to come in and do well. He’ll get better and better.
“With Ruben [Jerome], it just shows what we’re about; for him to leave one of our biggest rivals last season to jump on our boat and see where we’re heading to be part of our success, it’s a big compliment to the Club and us as a group.
“I’m looking forward to seeing him in a red shirt.”
You can hear more from Grainger and his players throughout the summer as wear up for the new campaign.
