Bullish boss Seb Hayes insists that Holbeach United will accept promotion if they manage to finish in the top two of the ChromaSport UCL Premier Division this season.
Due to non-league restructuring, the teams that finish in the top two this campaign are compelled to take promotion to Step Four – and failure to do so would result in demotion to Step Six.
Hayes is aware that the Tigers, currently fifth in the table, aren’t keen on being promoted due to the additional financial burden it would put on the club.
But he admits that the threat of demotion to UCL Division One would force the club to accept a historic promotion. Hayes, who is openly ambitious, wants to be the man remembered for taking Holbeach to Step Four and says he’s willing to do so with a vastly reduced budget.
“The club knows that I’m ambitious,” said Hayes. “But they did tell me from day one that promotion wasn’t something the club wanted.
“I’m fine with that. The club has spent significant money upgrading the floodlights and renovating the club-house, so promotion was never really part of the plan.
“But the threat of demotion is too much. I understand the club’s point of view, but we’d just accept the promotion and work with a tighter budget.
“They back me on that and if we finish in the top two, we’ll be going up.
“Personally, I want to be remembered as somebody who took the club to new heights.
“Holbeach has made a big impression on me and I feel a real affinity with the club and the people here.
“In ten years time I’d love people to say that it was me that took the club up. It would be amazing for me as a manager and amazing for the players, some of who I know would relish playing at a higher level.”
In order to be in a position to accept promotion, the Tigers need to improve on their recent form – despite being five games unbeaten.
They visit Kirby Muxloe on Saturday (3pm) some six points behind leaders Yaxley, with four games in hand, while just two points also separates Newport Pagnell in second and Holbeach in fifth.
Tuesday night’s trip to Peterborough Northern Star was snowed off, so Hayes must serve the last game of his stadium ban at Ratby Lane this weekend.
However, there is serious doubt about Saturday’s fixture because of the recent snowfall. It is expected that the entire UCL schedule will be wiped out.
“Kirby Muxloe are tough to beat at their own place,” added Hayes. “But we need to go there and win – a draw just isn’t enough for us.
“I know that the lads feel like we’re playing well enough to give somebody a hiding soon, so hopefully that’ll be Saturday.”
Holbeach are without Charley Sanders (hamstring) and Matt Warfield (banned).
But they could have a new face in their squad after putting in a seven-day approach for talented Blackstones attacker Danny Barker.
