New Newark & Sherwood manager Tom Ward wants promotion challenge next season in United Counties League Premier Division North
New boss Tom Ward sees an opportunity to bring both immediate and long-term success to Newark & Sherwood.
Ward, who was named as Romaine Graham’s replacement last week, joins the Highwaymen with an impressive track record.
He led local rivals Sleaford to successive fifth-placed finishes in United Counties League Premier Division North - a club record.
And he backed it up with sixth place despite losing eight of his starting XI to higher clubs just weeks before the season started.
Ward, who stood down as Sleaford boss last September, finished the season as a player with Skegness.
But he was ready to return to management and sees Newark & Sherwood as the ideal club.
The Highwaymen reached the Notts Senior Cup final this season but a 13th-placed finish cost Graham his job.
Ward intends to challenge for promotion immediately and, with a new ground at Lincoln Road hopefully on the horizon, there’s big potential at Newark & Sherwood.
He had a number of offers on the table but was sold on United.
“I know a few of the players, we’ve had good games against them in the past, and there are some really talented lads there, so they were always on the radar,” said Ward, who has named brother Charlie as his assistant.
“If I’m totally honest, if Newark & Sherwood reviewed their season, they will feel they under-achieved a little bit.
“I think they could have done better with the players they had at their disposal, so I always knew there were some good players there who I could make a real difference to.
“But when I met Steff (Wright), Jed (Wright) and Glenn (Cobb) and a few of the board members, it was the ambition that impressed me.
“I was lucky to have a few options, various clubs of different sizes and different ambitions, and Newark & Sherwood just want to kick on, which matches me.
“I’m ambitious, I want to keep climbing up the football pyramid as a manager and I feel it’s a good place to do that, not just next season when we hopefully have immediate success, but I think there’s scope for long-term growth.
“And when you’re tying in the plans for the new stadium, it’s exciting stuff and it’s definitely something I wanted to be a part of.
“It’s something I can sink my teeth into for continued progress, not just immediate success.
“It’s a professional environment to go into and when I met those guys it’s something I want to align myself with.
“I’m sure they’ll be a big part of my journey, as well as me being a big part of theirs.
“They’re a really strong group of people who are very knowledgeable about what they do.
“Steff, in particular, you look at his background in football, there won’t be many in Step 5 that have anything like his experience in terms of being a chairman at the levels he has (ex-Lincoln City).
“He surrounds himself with good people, there are good volunteers behind the scenes, and I knew it was an environment I wanted to get involved in and one I think can thrive in.”
Ward, who won the National League North title as a defender with King’s Lynn, sees no reason why Newark & Sherwood can’t challenge for honours in his first season.
He expects the division to be stronger but will still be aiming high.
“I think it’s going to be a really difficult league next year,” he said. “The season just gone, I think the UCL North was the weakest it’s been over the last five years or so.
“You look at my track record, I’ve finished fifth, fifth and sixth at Sleaford and I think I’ve got potentially more options available in terms of catchment area, financial power and players already at the club than what I’ve inherited previously.
“A lot of signs suggest we should be targeting at least that top five.
“There’s a little bit of unknown on a couple of clubs but I’m keen to continue that record of being in the top five.
“I think that’s a very realistic target and, you never know, we might go one better and enjoy it even more.
“It’s not just this year, I think Newark’s got the scope to continue for years to come.
“That’s the big draw for me. We hope next season is very successful but it’s more about the longevity here and we’ve got the options to continue the success and growth, particularly with the ground.”
Kieran Cummings has left Newark & Sherwood for Step 3 Basford after scoring 32 goals and providing 12 assists this season.
The club were expecting him to move on and Ward is talking to potential replacements.
“KC’s one I spoke to a little bit on the pitch,” said Ward.
“I used to try and keep close to him because he’s a hell of a player. I didn’t get as close to him as I’d have liked in a few of the games but he’s one who, in his own words, saw Newark & Sherwood as a stepping stone and he’s earned his chance to play higher.
“We hope he does really well at Basford but if things don’t work out, he knows he’s got a good environment to come back to.
“We’ve been in conversations for his replacement, we’ve got two or three lined up that I think will add a lot to the group.”
