We can be the champions, Read tells Bucks

Assistant boss Darren Read has urged AFC Telford United to believe they still have the pedigree to finish the season as champions.

The Bucks have suffered a mid-season blip in form winning just one of their five Blue Square Bet North matches since the turn of the year to slip to fifth place in the table - six points behind leaders Nuneaton Town.

But Read is confident the Bucks have what it takes to reel in the gap and finish the season as champions.

He said: "We have said to the lads before and we mentioned it again at training last night that we are here to win this league.

"I think some of the players just have to believe in themselves a little bit more. We have a great squad.

"We need to keep picking up three points. The only way we are going to win the league is to keep picking up wins.

"Our away form has been fantastic, it's been promotion form really and we need to carry that on.

"We want to go on a run of winning games and to do that we need to play for 90 minutes."

Telford make the trip north with a fully-fit squad with forward Andy Brown the only slight doubt with a hamstring injury.

"He'd be a great advert for the NHS," Read said of the 24-year-old striker.

"He's been struggling with his hamstring all season and we've just got to manage it game by game.

"An 80 per cent fit Andy Brown is still an excellent player. He's a natural goalscorer and any team which sees his name on the team-sheet will know their in for a tough game."

By ALEX JAMES