Marine AFC are adjusting to the new challenges the National League North presents according to their CEO.
James Leary sat down with Mersey Sport Live for an exclusive interview on how his club are trying to overcome the odds and what life looks like in their new league.
After finishing third in the Isthmian Northern Premier League last season and beating Macclesfield FC in the play-off final, Marine gained promotion to the National League North for the first time in the club’s history.
The Mariners have struggled to get to grips with the fast pace of their new league, sitting 22nd after 10 games. They have picked-up just two wins against Rushall Olympic and Radcliffe FC, who sit 21st and 24th in the league respectively.
Taken by Harley Sheldon
Leary gave his thoughts on adjusting to Life in the new league.
He told Mersey Sport Live: “It’s the first time we’ve been in National League North. I think the way I phrase it is we’ve been finding our feet.
“We had a lot change in the summer, a lot of players leave the football club. A lot of new players arriving at the football club.
“It’s a level we’ve never been at before, we’re against some big clubs, you know first away game was Scunthorpe United, so it doesn’t get much bigger than that.”
One of the biggest challenges so far has been recruitment and the competition in the market for players. Some clubs have offered higher wages and full-time contracts.
Marine can’t offer this currently, but Leary believes the club still has a lot to offer.
Leary added: “We’ve got to stick to what we’re good at, and a certain type of player might not want full-time football and might be happy to have a full-time job and play part-time. So ultimately, it’s just about the competition, and the players I know the manager wanted we had a lot of competition for.”
It’s been a summer of change for the Crosby-based team, not just getting players through the door but developing the stadium, the Marine Travel Arena. The additions of a new scoreboard, TV gantry, and upgrading the Crosender Road stand to meet the requirements of the National League North.
This is all in preparation for the eventual move to a new stadium. Marine are looking to stay within the L23 area. But move to a 5,000-seater stadium is to meet the size regulations imposed by the English Football League to future-proof the club should they make it to the EFL in the future.
The current ground will be converted to a community hub, and the CEO wants to keep that hub but is excited at the prospect of Marine’s future home.
He asaid: “Ultimately it’s about being able to create a really professional (ground). You look at some of the grounds we go to this year, the likes of Chester, Scunthorpe. Proper grounds as we like to call them. We’ve done as much as we can to this stadium. But it would be great to have a ground in a few years’ time that is similar to some of the big clubs.”
The aim this season for Marine is to stay in the league and build for the future. With the foundations in place, a manager with vast experience in non-league football, and a new stadium on the horizon, the club could be set to continue its successful trajectory as it aims to one-day make it to the Football League.
