Worksop Town boss is making the most of lockdown delay

Lockdown has allowed Parry to assess a potential squad to be able to challenge for the promotion spots next year, as well as being able to visit Sandy Lane and observe the progress of the new developments to the stadium.

Parry stated: “We feel like we have got a good, healthy squad and the players, we feel, are ready to join us. We are also looking forward to working with the couple of lads who have been retained and also the young lads [from the Under-21s].

“From a preparation point of view, we are pretty much ready, it is just about actively getting out there and getting going.

“I tip my hat to Pete [Whitehead] and Keith [Ilett]; they have been down there [Sandy Lane] every day to make sure that when we are out of this situation, the club will be on track to hit the targets that we set when we sat down and joined the club – it is brilliant to see.

“It was great for me and Craig [Rouse] to go down there, get a bit of fresh air, and have a walk around [what was left of] the pitch and we got a real sense of the place whilst plans were still taking place.

“It is good to see that whilst the players are locked away, the club is working hard to get everything in place for us.

“The conversation that me and Craig had when leaving the ground was that when you see people behind the scenes, it shows that you need the volunteers, you need the fans, you need the chairman and you need everyone fighting and working very hard.

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“Realistically, the volunteers don’t get paid, but they work as hard as they possibly can off the field – as it is just as important as on the field – because if it doesn’t join together, then a football club doesn’t work at non-league level.

“It made us come away and say to one another that we have made the right decision and it is exciting to know that we won’t be worrying about the little things off the pitch which means we will be able to get cracking straight away.”

The former Pontefract Collieries manager admitted that he is missing the footballing environment and revealed the ways that he is dealing with the extra period.

“I’m not the greatest of runners,” said Parry chuckling to himself over the phone. “At the weekends, I have been playing football with my little boy who is five and football mad, so I have been in the fields trying to keep him active.

“In the week, I have been walking over some woodlands and fields near where I live which is clearing my mind and is doing me good.

“Not being around the football club or the boys with the banter and not being in a changing room environment has been frustrating.

“However, at the end of the day, it is people’s lives that are more important and that is the way that I have to look at it and keep a positive mind.”​​​​​​​

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