​Youth will continue to be key to Horncastle Town future

​Stephenson, who recently took over as first team manager of the Wongers, has himself come through the youth setup at the club, both as player and coach.

So he knows as well as anyone that, in a town where the overall player pool is perhaps not as strong as some, young players are worth finding.

He said: “Being connected to the juniors I know there’s an interest from the seniors perspective to look at who is coming through.

“It’s important to forge a relationship and links early on so that if they come through to the seniors they already know who you are and it’s not such a big step. It helps make it a seamless transition.

"We pride ourselves on bringing young players through to play first team football and have a passion for it.”

Stephenson added that most of the club’s first team players are based in the town, or at least have been at some point.

He said: “The pool of players we have to choose from mainly exists within the town and immediate area, although some are players who no longer live here but previously did so and played for the club for years before moving away for whatever reason.

"We also have players who are from out of town but who approached us as they wanted to come here, which is a credit to the club and how we operate.

"When you then consider it’s also the local people who come and watch us and help keep the club running in a financial sense by using the clubhouse and so on, you see how important the town and its people are to us on all fronts.”

Horncastle returned to action last Tuesday night with a 1-0 defeat at Appleby Frodingham Reserves.

This weekend, they go to Louth Town Reserves, who sit just four points above them in the Lincolnshire Premier League standings.