Gavin Cowan: Only way is up from here for AFC Telford

The boss felt last week’s home defeat to Nantwich Town in the FA Cup was the lowest point of his Bucks career.

Cowan takes his Telford ranks to winless National League North basement boys Blyth Spartans on Saturday and the boss insists that the only way is up from here on in.

He said: “Saturday was a real low point but sometimes when you’ve had such good success, you’ve got to hit rock bottom to start to pick up again

“That’s what I’m thinking. We need to get to Saturday and put in a performance more than anything. Hopefully the result looks after itself.”

“I think they are hurting, with the conversations we have. We have a very open floor for people to say how they feel.”

Cowan dismissed rumours of any fallings out in the Bucks dressing room, instead insisting his charges are still very much together.

“It was quite an interesting discussion after the game. The fans obviously look at it and I’ve heard things like problems in the changing room between players and I can honestly say it’s nothing like that,” Cowan said. “The group are together, maybe it’ll take something kicking off in the changing rooms for something to spark, I don’t know.

“But it’s all good on that front. Sometimes when there’s such an energy shift you have to hit rock bottom to kick on again.”

“We’re just staying positive. We retained 90 per cent of players and brought quality in. They don’t turn into bad players overnight. It doesn’t all fall apart.

“It could be a completely different conversation in a month.”