Further fixtures threat to Telford’s stop-start season

The Bucks were due to host Coalville Town tonight in the Southern Central Premier in an already-rescheduled match, but it will have to be rescheduled again following the postponement of Coalville’s FA Trophy tie at Walsall Wood on Saturday.

Telford look to be facing a hectic January, but manager Kevin Wilkin is adamant he will not let his side take their foot off the gas despite the stop-start nature of their season so far.

“Yeah, it’s not ideal by any stretch, losing nearly three weeks without a game,” he said. “These are the challenges, that you just don’t know how the season is going to unfold with when we play games and what sort of form teams are in when you do play them.”

Wilkin added: “I said to the lads, we can’t use them as excuses not to do well. You’ve got to understand it and just worry about one game at a time and hope you keep getting through those situations.”

Wilkin is keen to ensure that his side don’t lose focus ahead of another big game.

He said: “We can’t control the situation, but what we can control is making sure that we’ve got all of our good players out there and ready to go and fight and scrap and battle again, in what will be a really tough game.”

The impact on management and players is great, as is the impact it has on the supporters who travel home and away to support their side.

The Bucks faithful have endured a difficult few years on and off the pitch but have been treated to some big performances home and away this season.

And with the Christmas period approaching, both the manager and captain Jordan Piggott are desperate to keep the good times coming at New Bucks Head. “We try really hard to get players to be in and around the bar after games so they can have that chat with supporters, and so families can enjoy the occasion,” Wilkin said.

“You see after games that players are really trying to engage with the youngsters around the club and make it a really enjoyable place to be. I think the group we’ve got this season are working really hard to build that connection with the supporters.”

And Piggott, Telford’s longest-serving player and stand-in captain, admitted the fans’ support never goes unnoticed. “Last year was tough for everyone,” Piggott said. “The fans have been on board with us this season, we had a tough start and people were getting annoyed which was understandable given where we were, but there’s been a massive turnaround.”