Scopes hopeful for season ahead

WOODBRIDGE Town boss Mark Scopes has pledged to do all he can to ensure another successful season on a relatively shoestring budget.

The Woodpeckers manager is again confident of overcoming the necessary financial restrictions at the club in the forthcoming Ridgeons League Premier Division campaign.

Woodbridge have a smaller budget compared to many league rivals, but despite this lack of finance the club have managed to bring in a couple of new signings. They are also looking to introduce some of the youth team players into the first team squad.

Scopes has already shown he can be shrewd when bringing in new players, last year introducing three new strikers midway through the season.

This proved influential in helping to climb up the league after a poor start which resulted in just one win in their first 14 games, before an impressive upturn in fortunes as the season wore on.

The players have now begun pre-season training and are being put through their paces ahead of the ever-challenging Premier Division.

Scopes said: “Including the reserves, we had a total of 50 players at the first training session which was a good total.”

Survival is the aim at Woodbridge, given their financial situation, but as Scopes explained the players will be vying to finish as high up the table as possible. “The lads were actually disappointed by our 10th place finish last season,” he added.

Scopes said he was happy with his squad and despite interest from other clubs, Woodbridge have managed to keep hold of their key players.

One disappointment is losing key centre half Mark Roper through injury but Scopes is hopeful of bringing in some cover.

- Woodbridge will find out who they are playing next season when the Ridgeons League fixtures are released on Tuesday July 19.