Waiting game for Wright as Steelmen could go north

Tommy Wright says he will need to wait and see what league Corby Town will be in next season before fully implementing his summer plans

The already-relegated Steelmen will finally be put out of their misery when they play their final game of the Vanarama National League North campaign at play-off contenders Harrogate Town this weekend.

It has been a season to forget for Wright’s team who, despite going on a six-match unbeaten run at the start, have struggled with the step up after claiming the Southern League Premier Division title in such dramatic circumstance just over a year ago.

Wright has already revealed plans for the club’s first-team to train full-time in line with the academy from the start of the next campaign.

But he insists the preparations will only truly click into gear when it is confirmed what division they will be in from August.

The Steelmen boss says “everything is pointing” to the club being placed in the Evo-Stik Northern Premier League, which would  mean them missing out on two derby clashes with Kettering Town who are now in the Southern League Premier Division.

But, no matter what league they are in, Wright insists he is determined to learn the lessons from a “horrible season” and ensure the Steelmen emerge stronger from it.

“I had been resigned to it for a while and I think that was the case for the majority of people throughout the club,” he said.

“It has been a horrible season and lots of lessons have been learned.

“We built a great team last season and we won the league and I know many have been questioning why we couldn’t keep that squad together. What would it have been like if we had done?

“Hindsight is a great thing but we have to carry on into this Saturday and produce one more effort.

“After that, it will be up to me to come up with something to ensure we come back even stronger.

“I am having conversations with people about next season.

“But we don’t know what league we will be in and probably won’t know for another three weeks or so.

“So that does make it difficult to make big plans.

“Everything is pointing to the fact we will be in the Northern Premier League but we were placed in there two years ago and then we were quickly switched to the Southern League again.

“We have to see what happens and ensure we are ready to go when we know where we are going to be playing.”