Steelmen ‘firing on all fronts’ after their busy close season

Jordon Crawford opened the scoring with this effort as Corby Town beat a Northampton Town XI in a pre-season friendly at Steel Park last week. Picture by Jim Darrah

The Steelmen are preparing for another campaign in the BetVictor Southern League Division One Central after they missed out on promotion in heartbreaking fashion last season when they were edged out 4-3 at Bromsgrove Sporting in the play-off final.

But their preparations for the new season were hit by the shock resignation of manager Steve Kinniburgh.

Corby moved quickly to appoint assistant-boss Ashley Robinson and captain Gary Mulligan as interim joint-managers with experienced striker Elliot Sandy also added to the coaching staff.

There have also been changes to the squad with Connor Kennedy and Joel Carta both signing up for a season in the Vanarama National League North with Kettering Town but those moves came after the Steelmen had already added the likes of highly-rated duo Jake Duffy and Joe Burgess from Stamford.

Pre-season is now in full swing, however, and Corby picked up a 2-0 victory over a Northampton Town XI in their first home outing last week.

And chairman Noble said: “It’s been very busy. It’s the closed season, it’s always the busiest time for us behind the scenes at the club but it has been very productive.

“We have had a few knocks but nothing we can’t cope with and I think that tells you a wee bit about the club and where we are going.

“The lads who have grasped the job are really getting on with it and we have had some exciting new players coming into the squad.

“One thing I have learned about football is that the playing staff and management changes all the time.

“The infrastructure at the club tells you something about where we are because one day the news was announced and the next day we were sorted.

“It’s a big job, Corby Town, at this level of football. We had a lot of interest and that shows you something as well.

“We are ambitious. I know the supporters were frustrated at the end of last season but no-one was more upset than those of us who work behind the scenes.Losing that game’s hard to take but by the time we got back to Corby, we were refocused.

“A couple of the wheels have come off since then but we have put those back on and we are firing on all fronts.

“All we have to do now is get results on the pitch.”

Corby’s season gets under way with a trip to Aylesbury United on Saturday, August 17.