Liam Watson plans long-term for AFC Telford

The Bucks boss is backing his players to keep showing their resilience in non-league's top flight, insisting they are ready for the challenge.

Telford are still on a high after their first league title in 62 years, the team crowned Conference North champions in Watson's first season.

Freedom to operate as he sees fit has settled the 43-year-old into his duties and got him thinking long-term, after just 14 months in charge.

He said: "I feel like I have been at Telford for years and I have only just had my first anniversary. We need to strive to keep on improving and I am sure everyone will.

"There's nothing better than being at a big club and I believe that I am. I feel settled and like I am trusted to get on with my job, as no one interferes with me.

"It's a club full of good people and I think we have won the majority of the fans over. Any manager coming into a club needs to earn that trust and respect.

"I know you are only good as your next season, we enjoyed the last one but it's gone now. It's a new challenge for us."

Watson's brand of football was not always for the purists in the hurly burly world of the Conference North and he warns they must fight for every ball in the Premier.

But the Telford chief insists his side won't be found wanting for desire, pointing to where they proved their mettle to put one hand on the league trophy last season.

He said: "Sometimes we don't play football in the way that the 'super pundits' would like to see, but no one can ever say I haven't got a team that will give me everything.

"Rolling up your sleeves grinds you out so many results, the Telford fans will know that with the way we became champions of the Conference North last season.

"You turn back to the Solihull game, the next to last match of the season. To me, that was when we won the league, not on the final day where we got the trophy.

"We were 2-0 down early on but our heads didn't drop, we stuck our chests out and came back to get a vital point."