Salford City aren’t the only football team in the city to win promotion this year.
Irlam FC recently secured a leap up to the North West Counties Premier Division, leaving behind the likes of Chadderton, Widnes and Rochdale Town for Maine Road, Ashton Athletic and AFC Liverpool.
Steve Nixon has been at the club for five years and in charge of the first team for three of those.
Until around six weeks ago his side were only aiming for the playoffs but a rampant close season saw the Silver Street side top the league.
Read: Hero Hulme sends Salford City into promotion dreamland
Steve talked to SalfordOnline.com on why this year has been so successful for his amateur side.
“It’s fantastic, our main aim at the start of the season was to finish in the top six and secure a play-off spot,” he said.
“Overall, promotion is the highlight of the year but what pleased me if anything is seeing the squad develop and bringing in young players that at the start of the season weren’t quite ready but have ended up playing regular games for us. That’s been a real bonus.”
Who has been your stand-out player this year?
“It’s difficult to single anyone out really, Christian Lawlor has been great for us since new year, Liam Morrison in central midfield, Barry Lomas, our captain for most of the season has been fantastic and Matthew Boland who we signed from Atherton Collieries just before Christmas has come in and had a real impact.”
“Everyone has performed beyond what we had expected though.
Is there a game that sticks out in your memory from this season?
“One of best performances was probably against Stockport Town away, at the time we were both vying for the play-offs and we went to their place and bea
t them 3-0 and played some really good stuff.
“There’s also Ashton Town away very early on in the season where we won 1-0 late on thanks to a goal from our young sub Jordan and we’d never won there since I’ve been manager.”
So for next season, is it a case of same again or will you have to adapt and make changes?
“We definitely will because the standard in the premier division is a lot higher, it’s a faster tempo and more physical. We’ve got to be faster, stronger, quicker in every department.
“Maybe we’ll need to bring in one or two players who are a bit more mature who can help us stay in the Premier division, because it’s taken us long enough to get there, so we want to stay there.”
Steve says Irlam should be aiming for a top-half finish to firmly establish themselves, but face increasingly tougher opposition.
Best of luck from all at SalfordOnline.com for Irlam’s next and most prestigious season yet.
