9:59am Monday 30th June 2008
By Ian Whiting
Brighouse Town manager Mark Brier insists his Northern Counties East League newcomers will not disappoint anyone – on or off the pitch.
Town, who competed in the West Riding County Amateur League last season, have now decided to try their hand on the non-league ladder.
Brier, who was previously chairman of NCE Premier Division outfit Liversedge, has named former professional Darren Attwood as his assistant.
As they prepare for their debut Division One campaign, Brier said: “It is an extremely good set-up at Brighouse, mainly because the club have a great committee working tirelessly.
“They have been gearing up to move on to the non-league ladder for some years and have looked at what Silsden have done in the few years since they made the step up.
“Our pitch is very good, we have the necessary floodlights and facilities and have reached the necessary ground-grading criteria.
“The changing rooms are fantastic – a luxury compared to some other clubs at this level and even above – and there are new dugouts being constructed.”
Brier’s assistant Attwood was a pro at Torquay United when they were a Football League club, having been on schoolboy terms at West Brom.
They will be joined by Brian Brooks, who was at Thackley last season.
“He knows the non-league scene in the area and will be in the dugout as a sponge man,” said Brier.
Town’s pre-season work has now begun, with Brier and Attwood starting to build their squad for the forthcoming campaign with the recruitment of several new players.
Brier has been able to call on his Liversedge contacts and has secured youngster Jordan Maltas, a strong left-sided player with plenty of NCE Premier Division game time.
More experience has been added with the capture of former Garforth Town and Liversedge midfielder Jermaine Manners as well as Damian McKenzie, a pacy forward formerly of Sedge and Eccleshill United.
There are plenty of other familiar faces from the local scene as well, with Brier hoping to secure more new recruits as pre-season continues.
He said: “There has been a tremendous turn-out for training and the feedback has been extremely positive.”
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