Everyone must embrace the changes, says Diamonds boss Burgess

Diamonds were left devastated at the weekend as their Southern League Premier Central play-off hopes went up in smoke on a dramatic final day of the campaign.

Needing just a point to secure a top-five finish, Burgess’ team lost 1-0 to Nuneaton Borough at Hayden Road, which allowed Alvechurch to snatch the final play-off place on goal difference after they beat Royston Town 3-1.

It was a cruel ending to an impressive season for Diamonds as they recovered from a poor start with previous boss Andy Peaks leading them on an excellent run of form before departing to take over at Tamworth.

Despite injuries to key players and the departure of striker Ty Deacon to Kettering Town, new boss Burgess kept Diamonds on track right up until the final-day heartbreak.

Burgess admitted that disappointment will be “raw for a long time”.

But the preparations for his first full season at the helm are already at the forefront of his mind.

“It’s going to be raw for a long time,” Burgess said.

“When we sort ourselves out and the dust settles, we have to use that feeling to the best of our advantage as part of our preparations and how we approach next season.

“I have said this to the players, I have come in and seen a lot of good things.

“But I have seen things the club and we, as a dressing-room, need to do better.

“They will need to come back prepared to work hard and prepared to embrace the changes we are going to make.

“We are going to introduce new people on the staff.

“There will be new players at the club and there will be players who go out of the club who have been good since they have been here.

“We have to assess everything and we will.”