Archive - Wednesday, 7 April 2004


Find by date

Other ways to search

Also look for

Never miss anything again. Sign up for our RSS news feeds and Newsletters.

Whites aiming to book Premier return

Whites' manager Nick Holmes relaxes on the golf course ahead of the busy Easter fixture list.SALISBURY City's remarkable Phoenix-from-the-ashes revival could be complete this weekend when the club plays two crucial matches in three days that would secure their return to the Premier Division of the Dr Martens League.

Less than two years ago the club was on the brink of extinction. Financially crippled, relegated and with dwindling support on the terraces, the Old Sarum outfit looked a spent force.

Now, thanks to the winning combination of manager Nick Holmes' astute stewardship and his supportive behind-the-scenes team, the Whites are on the threshold of promotion.

League leaders Tonbridge Angels visit the Raymond McEnhill Stadium for an eagerly waited clash which heralds in a mouth-watering climax to an already thrilling season.

A maximum points haul from this weekend's fixtures - they visit Newport IoW on Monday following Saturday's visit by Angels - would confirm City's Premier Division status for the 2004/5 season.

Holmes, named as the Eastern Division's manager of the month for March - his second award of the campaign - was buoyant this week ahead of the Easter programme.

A stunning 2-0 win at King's Lynn on Saturday was his side's fourth on the trot and with the rest of the league's high-fliers suffering weekend defeats, he insists the race for the title remains wide open.

City are just eight points adrift of Tonbridge, but with a game in hand. King's Lynn and third-placed Histon must also visit Old Sarum before the end of the season and Holmes says he and his players are more than ready to sneak the title should any of the top three slip up.

"It's possible. We'd need to win all our games and we'd need other clubs to do us a favour against the top three. But as we've seen this season, any of the teams lower down the table are capable of beating those at the top.

"I'm up for it and I know the players are. All the pressure's on the other teams now and it'll be interesting to see how they handle it. Tonbridge have now lost two in a row.

"This time last year Bashley were doing well then went to Kent three times in a short space of time and lost all three games there 1-0. It just shows anything can happen."

The 2003/4 season will already go down as one of the most memorable in City's history thanks to a lengthy FA Cup run which ended in the first round proper at Sheffield Wednesday.

Promotion was always the club's priority this season, but going up as champions would prove the icing on the cake.

Holmes hopes the chance of finishing the season as champions will capture the imagination of the city's football supporters, bringing them out in force for their remaining home fixtures.

"I'd love to see a big crowd at these last home matches. Our cup run showed we have a lot of sleeping supporters who will come out for the big games. We had more than a thousand for the Lymington & New Milton FA Cup match and all those who travelled to Hillsborough were brilliant. It'd be lovely if the city responded again.

"We have three big games coming up and hopefully they'll see some good football."

Holmes says some passionate home support could make all the difference.

"There was a great atmosphere for the Fisher game recently when the crowd started singing. The players all commented on the noise our fans generated. That kind of support is an advantage and can be worth a goal start."

Football round-up: page 87.