‘We’ll come good’ insists McCarthy
SOUTHPORT FC may still be waiting for the their first win the National League North campaign, but assistant manager Jon McCarthy is tipping the Sandgrounders to come good.
Liam Watson’s men have picked up a couple of points so far with home draws against Glucester City and Kidderminster, while suffering defeats on the road at Spennymoor Town and most recently Fylde.
However, they’ve been more than competitive in every fixture so far and most home spectators would agree they deserved more from the two matches at the Pure Stadium.
On the back of a horrendous 18 months dominated by the Covid pandemic, McCarthy said he has been awestruck by some of the work undertaken behind the scenes just to make sure supporters had a club to come back to.
“To see what the people have done at this club, the volunteers and Liam, Ian (Kyle) and Pottsy (Steve Porter).
“There was a real phase where this club could have been in trouble, and I look at the likes of Macclesfield and Bury and what happened to them - the way they have recognised the situation and turned it around and got the club back on a real level footing with an amazing pitch, and amazing stand and an amazing clubhouse – what a great place we’ve got.
“Liam understands this club and the community element of it. I can see what’s gone on and now we’re in a position where we’re a proper part-time club with some young players that we’re going to develop and build up.
“Some will move on to bigger things and that will allow us to improve finances and resources, but by that point this club will have slowly started to improve and I think we’ll be a lot stronger by the end of this season.
“This club will come again but it’s in a good position to be able to compete against a couple of the best teams in this league.
“I think with both Gloucester and Kidderminster, their management teams were both happy to go away with a point, they both know they got away with it.”
McCarthy said the suppport from fans will go a long way towards the rebuild on the pitch.
“It’s about building momentum - if the fans can regonise what we are trying to do out on the pitch it builds and you get that 12th man to get us across the line,” he said. “The lads are disappointed - we might have had seven points, we should definitely have five but we’re sat here with two. But I’ll always judge it on performances and
I’ve been delighted with the work rate.
“Southport fans will know that with Liam, he’s going to sign players with some football ability and a lot of character. That showed against Kidderminster.”
On Saturday, Southport are back at The Pure Stadium when Gateshead are in town for a 3pm kick off.
The Sandgrounders go into the game in 18th place with just two points and will be looking to turn the promising performances into wins.
There were a few knocks and scrapes over the weekend and manager Liam Watson will be casting a close eye over his squad at training on Thursday.
Gateshead come into the game in fifth place in the early table and are unbeaten after two home wins 3-1 v Kettering and 2-1 v Guiseley and a 1-1 draw at Chester.
It is the 60th NL meeting of the sides in all competitions making Gateshead the third most played team in our NL history. Only Morecambe 66 and Marine 63 beat this record.