Bracknell Town aiming to resurrect reserve side
Published 14 Jun 2012 13:25
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BRACKNELL Town are planning to relaunch a reserves team next season in an effort to boost their chances of future success.
Robins have been forced to cope without a second-string side for the past few seasons - and paid the price.
A lack of depth in the first team squad meant the club went into some matches with the bare 11 players, and no substitutes.
The absence of a reserves team also meant there was nothing to bridge the big step up from youth team football to the senior men's team.
It cost Robins dearly as they plunged down the leagues, finishing bottom of the Hellenic Premier last season and heading for another relegation unless the league grants them a reprieve.
However, the club's fortunes could be about to change after a major restructure that has seen former players Steve Nebbett and Danny Oliphant installed as the new first-team coaches, with Steve McClurg and Andy Keen moving upstairs into supporting roles.
And top of the agenda is the long-awaited reintroduction of a reserves team.
Speaking exclusively to the News, Nebbett said: "Danny and I are reassessing everything at the club.
"We used to play for Bracknell when they were in the Southern League and we want to get back to that level.
"But we've looked closely at it and realised we won't get anywhere with just one team.
"We've got to have a reserves side to support those in the first team or it's going to be very difficult, as the club has found out the last couple of seasons."
Fans' favourites Nebbett and Oliphant have been brought back to Larges Lane in a bid to restore the club to its former glory.
Both were regulars in the Robins side more than a decade ago when Bracknell reached the first round proper of the FA Cup and regularly drew in bumper crowds.
They have been in charge for the past few weeks and have been busy attracting new sponsorship to help fund the new reserves team.
"I've had to get my teeth stuck into it from the get-go," added Nebbett. "There's a lot of work to do.
"It's brilliant at the moment. We're trying to get everything sorted and part of that is getting some money in to get our reserves side back up and running.
"We're trying to bring in new sponsorship to help with that and things are progressing."
Bracknell Town boast a strong youth set up, with their Under 18s winning the league last season under coach Steve Jenner.
The likes of Adam Kennedy, Ben Knight and brothers Tom and Sam Barratt all emerged from the youth team and are now first-team regulars.
And Nebbett believes the reserves will provide a platform on which other youngsters can now flourish.
"All the club had to fall back on last season was the youth team," he stated. "Yes, the youth team won the title and deserve a lot of congratulations, but the step up to men's football is too high for them to make in one go.
"They need a level to play at that will prepare them for the first team which is why we need to get a reserves side.
"But nothing is definite at the moment. We're out there trying to find sponsorship and hopefully it will come together."
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