Rejuvenated Worksop Town on the verge of bringing back familiar '˜young' face

Worksop Town FC v Athersley Recreation FC, Worksop celebrate their first goal

Tigers roared back to form with a 4-0 win over Athersley last weekend, and Shaw says he’s close to a new signing ahead of Saturday’s trip to Parkgate.

The player, an attacking midfielder, has had a previous spell with the club and is set to put pen to paper.

Shaw said: “We put seven days in on a player and he’s agreed to sign, we just have to sort out the paperwork.

“He might make it for Saturday.

“He’s an attacking midfielder and a former Tiger, he was a young player here.

“I’m a big fan and have been for a while, hopefully he can make an impact.”

He’s not the only signing Shaw is homing in on, but the mystery man is the closest to sealing a deal.

Anyone arriving at Sandy Lane will be joining a group of players who have rediscovered the spring in their step.

Tigers sit top of the NCEL Premier by virtue of goal difference, and only Tadcaster hold any kind of advantage in terms of games in hand.

Shaw credits Worksop’s form earlier in the season, before their bleak midwinter, and hopes that will be replicated in January and February.

“I think everyone is back to being optimistic, and has emerged from the ‘we’re the worst team in the world’ mode,” he said.

“We find ourselves top on the back of the hard work we put in during September and October, smashing goals past people and beating teams.

“Now we need to go and do that again, on a similar kind of run and see if we can make a break for it.

“Last Saturday should have been a confidence boost for the supporters, and we had about eight out of the 11 players back to their top standards.”

Parkgate were one of those teams well beaten during a streak of four 4-0 victories, but Shaw isn’t taking them lightly.

“They’re a side who can put together a performance that can beat a team in the top five.

“We’ll respect our opponents but we need to make sure we come away with maximum points.

“The lads have come in over the last two weeks and shown they’re determined to write off people’s comments about them not being good enough.”

As the Guardian went to print Tigers rejected a bid for Tom Elliott – see our website for the full stroy.