MEET THE MANAGER
Q. What is your aim for the FA Cup this season and how important is it to our season? RS - Of course the FA Cup is a huge thing for us this year. Since I came here I believe we have really tried to win every cup game we play in and it has always been a big thing to impress on the squad. With the byes we have we could just as easily draw a weaker team or Conference North/South team away from home but we are more than capable of reaching the First Round. Q. What are your aims for the season? RS - As I said, all the cups will be taken seriously, we will look to defend both the Staffs and Birmingham Senior Cups we won last year but it's very early days yet. Top 8 would be a fantastic season. LC – I think it's important to be lucky with injuries to key players as well, we had that last season so I believe we could be near the play-offs if we can keep the squad fit. Q. Do you scout other teams on a regular basis and how much do you know about our challengers this year? RS - It's obviously difficult to watch too many games due to the fact they are on the same time as ours but we do have our spies and try to get to as many games as possible. We know about other teams in the league though, it's very important. Any manager who doesn’t isn’t usually a manager for very long! Our opponents on Saturday, Oxford, are a no-nonsense outfit. They will get the ball forward quickly and will be much more physical than Leamington were on Tuesday. There will be quite a few teams in that ilk and then the bigger spenders, the likes of Harrogate and Telford, still have that strong physical edge but also possess some real quality on the ball. Set pieces are also going to be very important in the league this season, the delivery will be much better than from teams last year and it's something we need to keep an eye on. Q. What is your plan this season regarding a substitute goalkeeper? RS - We will have no second keeper this year. If Craney picks up an injury we will go out and get a loanee. Q. What is your highlight of the season looking at the fixture list? RS – I've been dreaming of returning to Telford since the start of the season. Those two games over Christmas really will be a great advert for local non-league football. Personally, I cannot wait to go there and if we won it would be superb. Although I think the Chairman would rather us meet them in the Play Off Final! Q. How have the new signings settled in? RS – It's early days yet but the signs are encouraging in that respect. DC – Any new players that come into this squad obviously have to earn the respect of the current squad. We all work hard and we don't take kindly to players who come in and are 'big-time', this squad isn’t about that. In the past some players haven’t earned that respect and, as a close group of lads, it is difficult for them to then integrate into the team. Q. How many of our players are contracted this season? RS – 13 o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