Seasiders win international backing

Guernsey's national team coach Kevin Graham has backed Darren Williams to lead Whitby Town through a successful 2013 and beyond, writes Andrew Snaith.

Graham, who played centre-half for Town in the Northern Premier League between April 2000 and November 2002 under former manager under Harry Dunn, is backing the Seasiders' management duo of Williams and his assistant David Campbell to bring long term success to the club if Chairman Graham Manser keeps faith with them.

Graham told the Whitby Gazette: "Cammy [Campbell] and Darren are obviously developing something and hopefully he's the kind of manager the Chairman will back to build something successful over a longer period of time. In the same way that maybe Brendan Rodgers has got a plan at Liverpool, I think Darren's trying to put something together that will bring sustainable success over a long period of time.

"I think the days are gone when you can just go and spend a load of money and bring players in and just buy success. You've got to do it in a sustainable manner, I do hope that people stay patient and back Darren, as I'm certain he's the right man."

The Channel-Islander, who's now living back in Yorkshire, has been keeping tabs on his former club this season and reckons he'd like nothing better than to see them start the new year, as they did 2012.

The former Seasider declared: "I'd love to see the team kick on and put a run together. Just to develop some success on the pitch and to get up that league and maybe start challenging for play-offs. If not this year, then certainly next."

Graham also has a few suggestions to help out off the field. He added: "You do have to have a family-orientated atmosphere to go forward. I know there's a lot of hard work that goes into Whitby Town. It's really important that they try and work with schools and community forums to try and bring in the next generation of supporters, stuff every club should look into doing."

To help boost crowds the Blues now allow Under 16s into the Turnbull Ground for free, when accompanied by a paying adult and Under 18s are admitted for just £2. The club say the pricing structure will continue into 2013, with Town hosting rivals Frickley Athletic on New Year's Day.

Fifth-bottom Frickley are just one place and one point ahead of the Seasiders. It was a 2-1 victory at the West Yorkshire outfit that kick-started the Blues' revival almost a year to the day, with Matty Tymon the last-minute goal hero.

Karl Rose's men have just one win in five, but that was a shock success over second-placed Hednesford Town, while it took an 88th-minute Ryan Kendall goal to see leaders North Ferriby past Athletic on Boxing Day, 3-2. Encouragingly for Whitby, the former Colliery side are the only club in the Ev0-Stik Northern Premier League structure yet to gain a single away point, despite nine attempts.

However, first the Blues travel to tenth-placed Chorley this Saturday. The Magpies ended an eight-game winless run thanks to Darren Stephenson's sole strike against third-placed Marine on Boxing Day.

Whitby will be hoping for a repeat of their 3-1 FA Trophy First Qualifying Round win at Victory Park in September when Steven Snaith, Shane Henry and Graeme Armstrong were all on target. But Town will be without defender Kevin Burgess for the cross-pennine trip after his ankle injury at Blyth. They will welcome back striker Craig Farrell, 30, though. He missed their Boxing Day draw as a condition of his transfer from Spartans.