Poll reveals AFC Telford fans fear for future

It has been a rough few years for the New Bucks Head faithful.

Following on from relegation from the National League Premeir in 2015, Telford have toiled away in the lower reaches of National League North for the last two seasons amid well-documented financial struggles.

Bucks boss Rob Smith is in the midst of rebuilding the squad, with four new faces coming in so far – defenders Shane Sutton and Curtis Strong, midfielder Kieran Dunbar and forward John Marsden.

Ben Bailey and Joe Fitzpatrick were the first two to be retained, while a others are understood to have been offered terms.

The likes of last term’s skipper Luca Havern, last campaign’s top goalscorer Josh Wilson and striker Connor McCarthy have left.

And while those who voted in the Shropshire Star’s end-of-season survey backed the overhaul, 82 per cent insisting there needs to be seven or more new arrivals, there is still a huge amount of apprehension among supporters.

On whether Telford can fight for a play-off place next season, 76 per cent of voters feel they will not.

A big reason for that is due to 81 per cent feeling National League North is the most competitive it has ever been.

And it is hard to argue. Looking at the line-up for the 2017/18 term, there are some top sides such as Kidderminster Harriers, Salford City and Stockport County still there. York City are among those to come down from the National Premier and Blyth Spartans – a very difficult away day indeed – have been promoted from the Evo-Stik Premier, along with Spennymoor Town.

Meanwhile, there is very much still financial uncertainty surrounding the club after just a 35 per cent uptake in shares. And 82 per cent of voters in our survey are not confident the club’s financial struggles will clear up soon.

Telford have asked any interested investors to contact chairman Ian Dosser – who 76 per cent feel could improve in his role – and 76 per cent believe the most important attribute of any new shareholders should be having the club’s long-term interests at heart.

Looking back at last campaign, unsurprisingly, 88 per cent said they were not satisfied with the Bucks’ final league position, 17th.

Fans mainly put the poor season down to players underperforming (43 per cent), but poor recruitment (29) and low budget (27) were also significant factors.

And on the style of football being played by Smith’s charges, 83 per cent were unhappy.

However, 59 per cent were happy with the job being done by the Telford boss – appreciating that he has been working under challenging circumstances.

The player of the season vote turned out the same way as the club’s official fans’ player of the season gong, with January departee James Montgomery coming out on top,

He got 56 per cent of the vote, ahead of Dwayne Samuels and Havern, in our survey.

Fans were delighted to see Marsden signed on a permanent basis on Monday following his release from Stockport, and he was the player who impressed the most while on loan last term.

He scored two goals, in vital wins over Stalybridge Celtic and Worcester City, and got 49 per cent of the vote – ahead of left-back Luke Higham, and goalkeeper Callum Burton.

Wilson, despite finishing as top scorer, was the player who most failed to live up to expectation, while the majority of fans feel Telford will miss veteran striker Lee Hughes – who left to take up a position as joint-manager of Worcester.

Keen to recoup the goals lost through Hughes’s departure, fans voted overwhelmingly (72 per cent) as attack being the position that needs most strengthening.

Lastly, 81 per cent want to see more youth-teamers promoted to the first team.