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Raiders set for "really hard" start to season

Raiders set for "really hard" start to season

Ashley Banner7 Aug 2019 - 09:47
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Gormley admits promoted Raiders will spend the opening months of the season “just trying to survive” until they return to Claines Lane.

A 100-seater stand and floodlights are set to be installed at Raiders’ home ground while the second grass pitch is due to be replaced by a floodlit artificial playing area.

Worcestershire Football Association will be moving its headquarters to the site and aims to be “operational for football by the end of September”.

Gormley said playing away from home would make life “really hard” and might also impact the club financially but he insisted his players were up for the challenge.

“It has been a difficult pre-season and we are going to have to play away from home for the first two months which is going to be really hard, but we are ready for it and will make no excuses. We are just looking forward to getting back to Claines to be honest. We were told that it would be finished by the end of September and we have not been told anything different to that. We are just hoping that it will be done by then. Financially it will be really difficult as well as there will be no money coming into the club whilst not having a home base. We are just trying to survive until we get back home” Gormley said.

The city side have strengthened their squad this summer with the signings of midfielders Kirk Layton and Chris Bright and defenders Tim Beattie and Aaron Drake. Gormley also hopes Raiders can pick up from where they left off last season after winning the Division One title with 24 wins, seven draws and one loss.

“Last year was brilliant and we just want to follow on from that,” Gormley said.

“We have lost a few players and brought a few in."

“But we are happy with the squad going into the new season."

“We have got 22 players which is more than we started with last season but we have got a few extra games so we are going to need them.”

On facing Dudley, Gormley added: “The Sikh Hunters manager has recently moved over there and taken a few of their players."

“We had some good battles against them so we are expecting exactly the same against Dudley.”

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