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Wharton: Clubs feel good factor giving me confidence

Wharton: Clubs feel good factor giving me confidence

Matthew Jones30 Aug 2018 - 17:00
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Danny Pryer speaks to Ben Wharton.

There is a great togetherness and team spirit in the group
- Ben Wharton

August player of the month, striker Ben Wharton speaks to club reporter Danny Pryer on his personal start to the season, Jon Macken, the club morale, and the new additions to the squad.

BY DANNY PRYER

With four wins from four games, its no doubt that you couldn’t ask for a better start for Radcliffe.

It was an array of new signings and manager Jon Macken’s belief which kickstarted the confident, expressive football nature and the togetherness that has put the Boro top of the league, according to striker Ben Wharton.

The club’s Player of the Month for August, who signed from Curzon Ashton at the start of the season has found the net six times so far in the opening fixtures, and added to that, a player of the month for August award. It’s about trust, it’s about putting the ball in the net, but most importantly for Wharton, its about helping the team – growing from pre-season and improving on the impressive start.

“There is a great togetherness and team spirit in the group,” said the Boro number 9. “Our time together from the start of pre season has seen us grow massively and we are getting better every game with more fixtures to come.

“We are a squad, and we know we can make changes and still trust the players that are coming in to do a job for the team. We haven’t had the same 11 in any of our first 4 games which proves this.

“Of course I am happy with how well I’ve started personally and the fact that it has helped the team is even better.”

With every great team, comes a great manager, and it’s something Wharton knows is key to not just his - but the teams development. With Macken’s high-level experience, and with the morals of self-expression, confidence and tactical changes – it has created a feel good factor around the club.

He said: “Jon and the rest of the coaching staff have given me my confidence after only starting half the games at Curzon Ashton last season. They have believed in me since I’ve signed, and the feel good factor around the club at the moment is giving me more confidence to push on."

“Jon really believes in the squad he has assembled this season, which he told us all through pre-season - even when some results and performances didn’t go our way. He has given every player lots of confidence to go out, enjoy the game and express themselves."

“With the gaffer having played at the highest level, he knows which lads need a kick, and which players need an arm round them at times. Already this season we have changed tactics and formation at important parts of games which has got us goals and got us the win.”

Having been brought in from on the ropes at Curzon last campaign, the Boro top scorer believes not just himself, but the rest of the new additions have made themselves at home. He said it’s been key to putting in the hard yards in pre-season, and that it’s up there with the best dressing rooms he has graced.

“All the new signings have really fitted in well to the squad including myself,” Wharton added. “From the first session of pre season when we were doing lots of hard running, the lads have been together and got each other through.

“The changing room is one of the most enjoyable changing rooms I’ve been in. Again this can gain you so many extra points. The use of the squad and trusting every member of it no matter who starts a game is important too."

“Those on the bench know they will be needed when coming on and even more ready when asked to start the next game.”

Ben will be presented with his prize on Saturday at the Colwyn Bay game.

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