Management duo led by example

The Evo-Stik Northern Premier League's FA Respect Manager Phil Bradley reckons that Bamber Bridge's management duo should take much of the credit for winning March's First Division North Jungledrum Fair Play Award.

According to Bradley, manager Neil Crowe and his assistant Neil Reynolds have led by example to turn around Brig's disciplinary record since the start of 2013, climaxing in the club being named as March's best behaved side in their division.

Bradley is pictured making the presentation to Bamber Bridge Chairman Terry Gammans, centre, with Jungledrum's David Lunn before last Saturday's 4-1 win over Harrogate Railway Athletic at the QED Stadium. Like North Ferriby United and Leek Town, March's Jungledrum Premier Division and First Division South winners respectively, Bamber Bridge received an inscribed Jungledrum commemorative certificate and a 1.5 litre bottle of Famous Grouse Whiskey courtesy of the sponsors.

Bradley, who is at North Ferriby United's clash with Nantwich Town today [Saturday] to present Jungledrum's Premier Division Award, said: "Bamber Bridge's recent disciplinary record since the turn of the year has been excellent and the Jungledrum First Division North award for March is well earned recognition of the efforts made by the club on the disciplinary front.

"With just three cautions in seven games during the month 'Brig' have slowly but surely moved up the season to date table to be within touching distance of the top six. The example is being set to the players out on the pitch by the management team who are receiving very high marks from match officials for their behaviour in the Tech Area week in and week out. In fact, they are in third place in the First Division North Technical Area behaviour table."

Each month the league's best behaved sides are chosen after a totting up of red and yellow cards divided by the number of Evo-Stik NPL fixtures they'd played. Where clubs are tied on points, marks awarded by referees over the month for Technical Area behaviour are taken into account.

Competition for the Jungledrum Fair Play Awards isn't limited to monthly honours. Come the end of the season all three overall divisional winners will receive a cheque for £1000 courtesy of the sponsors Jungledrum with the runners-up receiving £500 and the third place clubs £250. AFC Fylde currently hold a narrow lead over FC United of Manchester in the season-to-date Premier Division table while Harrogate Railway Athletic lead in First Division North. In First Division South, long time leaders Chasetown still head the overall table.

As part of the Evo-Stik NPL's Respect Programme, £4000 in prize money is also available to clubs whose players back the Football Association's ongoing campaign by cutting out cautions for dissent. In the last three years the Evo-Stik NPL has won the FA's overall award twice and last year were runner's up after driving down cautions for dissent by double digit percentage points season on season.

Marketing and advertising specialists Jungledrum harness their online expertise to open new income streams for the league's clubs while securing fans money saving deals. The Jungledrum Fair Play Tables are available throughout the season via a hyperlinked logo on the league's official site.

Jungledrum's Lloyd Bantleman said: "Jungledrum is delighted to be associated with the Jungledrum Fair Play award as integrity and fair plays lies at the heart of our business ethos. We are working with clubs across the league to help them develop a measurable income stream that gives their business supporters a fair return on investment with the club."

For more information on Jungledrum and the work they are doing to open new and no risk income streams for Evo-Stik NPL clubs visit: jungledrumdeals.co.uk