Youth is key to Horncastle Town's future, says boss

​As has been the case for many years, Horncastle will again boast a strong junior section which it is hoped will continue to produce players that will break into the first team.

And for Rawdon, that would be a huge bonus when it comes to player recruitment.

He said: “The club policy has always been to try and bring the kids through. We have teams at every age group from U7s to U18s and it’s really important to have that pathway.

"If players are nurtured well enough they can make that transition much more easily.

"The current squad has four or five teenagers. They’re all good footballers, they just need a bit of time to mature and develop, which in turn will make them solid and competitive.

"The hard bit is always when they get to 16-18 because at that age the usual non-football distractions increase – there is so much for them to do nowadays.

"When children play from the ages of seven or eight, when they get to the men’s game it’s suddenly a lot harder but you have to find that level and persevere. Even at step seven, winning games is important, a lot more so than in the junior games.

"That’s what you’re there to do and for some lads that environment can be hard, so the club has to help them and start shaping them towards that at 15-16.

“We’ve had players go on to do very well before and we’d love more to progress and maybe reach the Football League – the whole town would support them and be proud so by having a good junior section and helping the players transition, the chances of that increase.”

Horncastle’s first pre-season friendly will be a trip to Grimsby-based side Theddo FC on Saturday, July 13.

There will then be five home games, first against Boston Town on Tuesday, July 17, then Louth Town on Saturday, July 20 and Collingham on Saturday, July 27.

The John Rawdon Snr Memorial Match against Boston United U19s takes place on Friday, August 2, before Horncastle host Lincoln City U18s on Wednesday, August 7.