LOUIS Newman knows how to please an audience.He will no doubt have those at the Hadleigh Legion tomorrow night hanging on his every word as he belts out a collection of standards.

Elvin King

LOUIS Newman knows how to please an audience.

He will no doubt have those at the Hadleigh Legion tomorrow night hanging on his every word as he belts out a collection of standards.

A popular and talented singer he may be - he has another gig at the Belstead Arms on Easter Sunday - but Newman is currently proving just as admired in his role as Stowmarket Town manager.

A slip-up against Swaffham last weekend, when his side did everything but score, denied a run of five consecutive Ridgeons League First Division wins.

Stowmarket take on leaders Newmarket Town tomorrow (kick-off 3pm) with Newman in confident mood, and with hopes high of bringing back some welcome glory to one of Suffolk's most established clubs.

“We are mid-table but on our day we can beat anybody in the division,” he said. “In fact, we have beaten most of the teams around the top of the table, some of them twice.

“I like to think that we are better than mid-table and that next season we can prove it.

“Changes have taken place at the club and perhaps they were long overdue.

“We need to be going forward and, with a new chairman and progress at last being made on building a new clubhouse, this is now happening.”

Neil Sharp has taken over from the hard-working Andy Horrex as chairman, and the accountant, who played for the

club in the 80s, has a son, Jamie, currently in the first team.

Young Sharp, who scored the winning goal against Diss Town on Wednesday, is joined in Newman's squad by two other lads who have worked their way through from the youth teams at Stowmarket.

Will Phoenix and Simon Bernard have also been on Stowmarket's books for around 10 years.

“With Karl Daniels and Kevin Folkard now running our Under-18's, I am looking for a continuing progression of boys through from our youth set-up,” added Newman.

“I hope we can retain our current crop of players into next season and add a few more. We have the opportunity to do this.

“Hopefully, I have instilled a belief into my players and that we can now keep this going.”

Tom Deller will be missing tomorrow because he is suspended but Newman is hoping to have Ricky Deasy and Dan Allen back after injury.

And, if his team gains victory over the Jockeys, he will be in even better voice for his session in Hadleigh tomorrow night.

Talking of Hadleigh, they need to keep their championship hopes on track with a win at home to Fakenham, while Tony Hall's Brantham are at home to Thetford.

Ipswich Wanderers visit Chris Symes' Cornard and, in the Premier Division, leaders Lowestoft Town will not be in league action as they will be seeking to reach Wembley for the second year running in the FA Vase.

They look to have sewn up the championship and the whole of Suffolk will wish them well at Whitley Bay - with the second leg at Crown Meadow next Saturday.

Former Tottenham Hotspur youth Blake Saker is expected to make his debut for Felixstowe and Walton United when they take on Needham Market at Dellwood Avenue.