Shropshire Star

Paul Carden: New habits start now for AFC Telford

New boss Paul Carden has urged AFC Telford United to use the FA Trophy haul to Felixstowe & Walton United as a chance to forge a new mentality.

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The former Warrington chief takes charge of the Bucks for the first time tomorrow in Suffolk, where step four Felixstowe are the hosts and eye a giant-killing.

But Carden, whose side sit bottom of National League North two divisions above, is keen to create a winning habit and sees his Bucks bow as an opportunity to start.

“Definitely,” Carden said when asked about hitting the ground running. “We need to win football matches, whatever competition we’re in, we need to get a run together.

“I want lads in the training games we’ve put on to want to win because we need to create that habit and mindset that whatever we do, we want to win.

“Kids on a playground having a race, they all want to win! We need to make sure we’re all at it. If we’re not and there are chinks in the chain then it’s not going to happen.

“I want to give everyone an opportunity, but we’ll all be doing it, it’ll be hand-in-hand, it won’t be someone getting dragged behind us, it’ll be a full collective effort.”

Carden, meanwhile, has put a further stamp on the loan-heavy Bucks squad he inherited after less than a week in charge.

Earlier in the week he allowed Kory Roberts and Liam Ravenhill to return to Bromley and Doncaster respectively.

Yesterday, midfielder Tom Sparrow returned to Stoke City the end of his one month loan. The teenager made six appearances for the Bucks.

Defender Fortune Maphosa, who was signed by interim boss Dennis Greene from Worcester last week, has been released without playing.