XI questions with | Lancaster City

Across the country, supporters are preparing for the new campaign with renewed hope and ambition for the season ahead.

Ahead of the 2026/27 campaign getting underway on Saturday 8 August, we sat down with supporters from the NPL clubs at Step 3 to hear their thoughts on how things are shaping up.

Today, it's the turn of Lancaster City's Ryan McMenamin.

It was an impressive campaign for you to finish sixth last season, after an 18th-place finish in 2024/25. How determined are you to make the play-offs this time around, despite a huge improvement in league position?

Very determined, if only to justify the hope they’ve now dared to give us. 

I’d imagine Jimmy Marshall and his team have set it concrete as their aim, as I’m pretty sure it was on their radar last year with not nearly as much evidence that it was possible. 

It’s a lottery trying to predict this division, but play-offs are probably the aim of well over half of the teams in it. 

It’s quite often a success to not regress.

Your home form was extremely impressive last season, picking up 10 wins and 35 points in 20 games. How important is the Giant Axe atmosphere for delivering positive results?

That would be one for the players, but it’s often been said that it’s an undeniable bonus. 

It can be a hell of a noise under the shed, and one that was a long time coming. We averaged under 300 from 2008 right up until COVID, but last year we were pushing 700 so we’ve more than doubled in five years. 

The league have been kind enough to give us FC United and Bury on a Saturday, so those numbers will hopefully look even better!

Jimmy Marshall has been in charge since April 2025, and even signed a new two-year deal in March. How do you assess his leadership?

I don’t think anyone can really question it. 

He came in when we were circling the drain last April and managed to steer us into the summer safely. He’s been upwardly mobile his entire managerial career, so if he can keep on that trajectory (hopefully still with us), it's looking good. 

Taking us further than the NPL would be monumental.

Sum up your transfer window so far…

By the looks of it, he was on the phone wheeling and dealing before he left the Stocksbridge game in April- very swiftly!

Christian Sloan and Bobby Bjork leave a hole, but with Niall Cowperthwaite returning alongside Callum Leigh and Matty Tweedley, it’s looking like a formidable midfield. 

We’ve had no big losses at centre-half or up front, and yet we’ve brought in James Nolan and James Bailey, so it feels very much like bolstering rather than replacing.

A number of new signings have made their way through the door, including the players you've just mentioned. Who are you most excited to see pull on a Lancaster shirt?

Nolan spent time at Man Utd which is exciting, although it can be harder for a defender to impress because you remember any mistake. 

James Bailey comes highly rated from the North West Counties, so probably him. It's also a pleasure to have Cowps back.

Who do you expect to be the most important player in your squad this term?

In a team that have often played five at the back (or three if you’re that way inclined), it's usually one of the wider centre-backs who you notice is missing - so again, Nolan could have a big say along with Toby Oliver.

Sam Bailey, though, is so often the one who creates things when we look like doing nothing. Nic Evangelinos has put some pressure on himself to repeat 15 goals as well…

Do you have any major concerns heading into the new season?

The previously mentioned point that it would be a mug's game to predict this division, coupled with the thought that I think we’ll do well!

You can sign anybody from the division. Who are you getting, and why?

I almost forgot about Kurt Willoughby scoring twice in the last five minutes against us for Chester until he signed for Ashton United.

I liked Connor Heath at Leek Town, and also Joe Rodwell-Grant at Warrington Town humbled me. 

Clearly I’m being drawn to imposing number nines, but I’d lean towards Willoughby.

There are plenty of new teams in the division this season. Which away ground are you most excited to visit, and why?

Bury, but also Alfreton and maybe even Quorn.

Who are you predicting to be the league’s dark horses this season?

Warrington Rylands have been good ever since they came up, but I can’t help but be surprised and annoyed when they’re up there, even though they do some spending. 

I’m not on top of who’s done any canny recruitment, but we might see a left-field team like Avro enjoy real success this time around.

Who wins the league, and why?

Curzon Ashton. Couldn’t tell you why. 

I’d be glad to finally see the back of FC United, even if we wouldn’t hear the end of it!