In a bid to get his talented young team firing again, Stourbridge manager, Liam McDonald, has added a wealth of experience to his playing ranks with the recent capture of Richard Batchelor and Tyrone Barnett, combined age, 75 years young.
The former Alvechurch duo have enjoyed long careers in the game and they both played their part as the Glassboys returned to winning ways at Harborough Town last weekend, ending the hosts’ run of six straight victories in the Pitching In Southern League Premier Central in the process.
For Batchelor it sees him reunited with manager McDonald and the rest of the coaching staff after they previously worked together with such success at Rushall Olympic, taking the Walsall-based club to promotion into the Vanarama National League North at the end of 2022/23.
“It’s great to be back with Liam and the rest of the management team,” Batchelor told us. “As soon as I found out about his interest in bringing me here, I knew straight away in my heart that this is where I wanted to be.
“I have known the Gaffer as a friend and a manager for a long time now; we have a good understanding and relationship.
“I’ve had a couple of training sessions and I knew all about the detail, intensity and quality that goes into them. It was interesting to see how the other players adapt to it; there is some good young talent here, it just needs one or two extra experienced heads amongst it, which is what Tyrone and I will provide.
“The victory at Harborough Town was a good indication of the type of squad we have; that blend of youth and experienced served us well on the day and secured a big result.
“Confidence plays a massive part in football; it was a solid and resilient performance and as the game went on, you could really see our belief coming through. Having the experience of Tyrone and I out there amongst them lifted the morale and as a group we managed the game well.
“All I ever do is try to give 100% in whatever position or role I am asked to play. I was happy with my performance at the weekend, but I know that I will get better as I get fitter.
“This is a good club; the infrastructure is all in place to achieve our goals. I want success and I believe that I can achieve it here. If I didn’t truly believe that I would not have joined the club, it’s as simple as that.
“I feel that I can bring a lot to this group both on and off the pitch. I’ve always been seen as a big character, willing to help the younger lads and hopefully they will know that they can come to me for any advice.
“This League is still wide open. On any given day, any team is capable of beating each other regardless of their position in the table. Consistency is key; any team who achieves that will win the League.
“I am a winner. I set my sights high and whilst I might not always win, I give it everything I have and that’s all you can do. I try to give my team-mates the same mindset as myself and if we can do that, we won’t be too far away with this team.”
The Glassboys will be looking for an upturn in their home form at the weekend as they play host to Hitchin Town.
IMAGE: @R__BMedia
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