Incoming manager Craig Holman says it ‘won’t take a miracle’ for basement dwellers Sticker to record a top-half finish in South West Peninsula Premier West next season.
The former St Austell assistant, who has also managed Minehead and Dobwalls in the past, was announced as the new Sticky boss on March 13.
He takes the reins from Richard Nancarrow and Paul Cox, who steadied the ship following Steve Flack’s exit in December, which came after four years at the club.
Holman, who will be assisted by former St Austell player and manager Dan Nancarrow, takes over a side that finished bottom of Premier West in 2023-24.
“I have been taken on as Sticker manager, which is a job I’m privileged to do,” he said, in discussion with CHAOS Radio. “It is a great club, with a great committee, unbelievable facilities and a super pitch. Everything ticked the boxes for me. The chairman and the rest of the crew are absolutely brilliant so when they offered me an interview, I was very happy to go along. There are not many clubs in the league that would interest me but [Sticker] definitely did.
“It is a very local club but it’s grown through the years from a football point of view and always played at a very good standard. This year, Sticker have finished bottom of the league which puts a bit of pressure on and it is important to us that we stay in the league now.
“Thanks to Dan Nancarrow, who is coming in with me. He was a great player and is very respected, and we have both said that Sticker shouldn’t be in the position they are. We always say that the table never lies and unfortunately Sticker finished up bottom this year but we are here to get them as high as we can next season.
“It is not going to take a miracle for us to get them up into the top half of the table. I say not a miracle because it is doable. Our aim is very much to move Sticker up the league which will coincide with the work that is done behind the scenes.”
You might be unaware, driving through the sleepy village three miles outside of St Austell, that a team plays at step six of the English Football Pyramid system just around the corner at Burngullow Park.
The club itself, Peninsula League members for over a decade, has a reputation for one of the finest grounds teams in Cornwall and a committed bunch of volunteers.
“They don’t pay anybody,” continued Holman, pictured. “The volunteers do all the maintenance and they manage to call in favors if they really need someone but nobody gets paid. This is totally voluntarily run and credit to the people who have been here for years. It is very family oriented, which I liked as well. It is an amazing club, and the volunteers and the committee are top drawer.
“We are looking to attract players to our club and bring in players that may. attract others. We believe there is enough ability around. We want to carry on with the youth and also get some experienced heads in. There may be a few players from different clubs who may not want to travel as far in the higher leagues so we are open to them as well.
“Between Dan and myself, I don’t think we are going to have an issue attracting and getting players to the club, and there are players that Sticker has already that will be fighting to get in it as well. Just because you finished bottom doesn’t mean you can’t play that standard of football.
“I have been asked about different projects but I just feel that this is the right one. It reminds me slightly of Dobwalls. When I took over, they were second from bottom and we managed to get them into the top part of the table. That was similarly run, being very family and committee focused. We want to get it to that situation where we are winning a lot more and getting ourselves up the table. We want teams to be a little bit more wary when they play us.”
Holman concluded: “We really need your support as well. It’s not going to be easy but I truly believe it’s not going to be something that’s going to take a long time. The support is really important to us to get us going. I think you’ll be seeing quite a few new faces on and off the pitch at the club next season.”
For more information, visit Sticker AFC.
