Rams stick to winning ways

Ramsbottom United insist they’ll keep playing their winning brand of attacking football in the Evo-Stik NPL.

The North West Counties champions kick off their debut season in First Division North on Saturday when Cammell Laird arrive at the Harry Williams Stadium and the Rams are warning rivals they aren’t in the division just to make up the numbers.

Having won the NWCL title in April and achieved their aim of promotion to the Evo-Stik NPL, joint managers Bernard Morley and Anthony Johnson held onto the majority of their championship squad and are vowing to stick to attractive football to build on their new status.

Rams spokesman Tony Cunnigham said: "Roll on Saturday for what will be the start of a thoroughly entertaining campaign. It has been the stated ambition of both the managers and the Chairman Harry Williams over the last three years that we gain NPL status.

"They’ve done so by finishing fourth, second and then top playing a brand of attractive, attacking football. The pressure is off everyone now the aim has been achieved and the message from the Riverside is that we are not here to make up the numbers."

Ramsbottom will be without three key players from their championship winning team but have brought in a number of replacements over the summer.

Grant Spencer, the NWCL’s April Player of the Month, left for Conference Premier newcomers Hyde while Mickey Morrison and Rob Grimes quit to become the joint managers of NWCL side Nelson.

The Rams’ arrivals are led by Phil Edghill, pictured, an experienced midfield player who was in Hyde’s Conference North championship winning side while wide man Martin Cosgrave joined from neighbouring Bacup Borough.

The Rams also welcomed back experienced left-back Barry Shuttleworth who left to play for Padiham last season. Teenage Rams star Adam Nuttall, 16, signed first team forms having progressed from the club’s highly rated juniors section and local lads Fraser Derby and Nathan Gray have also signed on for the campaign.