Jason Price's experience will be valuable to Ossett Town, say Craig Elliott

Ossett Town boss Craig Elliott

By James Grayson (Twitter: @jamesAgrayson)

Ossett Town manager Craig Elliott believes veteran striker Jason Price will prove to be an excellent signing for the Evo Stik Division One North club.

Elliott received a surprise phone call one Sunday morning from Price offering his services and after initially thinking the call was a wind-up, the Ossett manager quickly snapped him up.

Price made his Ossett debut at Pontefract Collieries nine days ago and Elliott has been impressed with what the former Doncaster Rovers striker has brought to the team.

Elliott told Sports Performer: “I got a phone call and it led on. I didn’t believe it at first, but he turned up at Ponte Collieries. I didn’t think he would come, but he turned up with his kit bag on his shoulder and thought ‘I can’t believe he has come’.

“He scored a great goal in the first half at Ponte, a really class finish. He showed good touches and was happy to sign. I had a chat with him about his commitment and desire and he was saying all the right things.

“His experience will be valuable. I think I have gone on record saying that him and Granty will be valuable experience-wise. My squad is pretty young and I was quite keen to bring in a couple of older heads and I’m hoping they can help the others.

“Pricey has been there and done it. At half-time at Glasshoughton he was going around the lads giving bits of advice. This is it with players like that. It is not just what you see on the pitch, its what they bring off the pitch as well which is important."

Jason Price

Until signing Price and former Farsley AFC man Gareth Grant last week, Elliott was down in the dumps after the departures of Danny Patterson and captain James Cotterill to Worksop Parramore.

But he has managed to replace the duo and Elliott reckons Ossett are in better shape than they were last summer when he left Glasshoughton Welfare to take charge at Town.

And he also revealed that Ossett will have a new playing style for the new season.

“The quality players I have been able to bring in has been pleasing,” he said.

“The spirit has been good, I’ve got to say. That is what has impressed me the most as it has come together a lot quicker than it did last year.

“It feels more like my team (this summer). Last year maybe I got too many from Garforth and that is with no disrespect to them, but I just felt that I was inheriting half of someone else’s team.

“I was going into the unexpected because I had never managed in the Evo Stik so I wasn’t sure what I needed. This year, myself and my assistant Daz Smith, we know where we want to go with the team and we’ve got players in the right positions.

“We have tried to change our style of play to accommodate that. I think we’re going to be a passing team because it is a no-brainer. All the best teams in our league last year played good football and played it from the back. They had good attacking full-backs and plenty of pace out wide and that’s what I have tried to bring this year.”

Elliott has a selection headache

Before he can start thinking about the season opener at Prescot Cables on August 17th, Elliott has a selection headache as Town are playing three games over the weekend.

Ossett play the Leeds United under 21s team at Ingfield on Friday night before participating in the Nostell Tournament on Saturday and Sunday.

Patrece Liburd and Jimmy Eyles are on holiday, while Nick Wood and Chris Walton are injured, but Elliott will be fair to the players and not make them play in all three games.

“We have got a big squad and I’ve said to the lads that everyone is involved on Friday and then over Saturday and Sunday, I’m going to keep to a squad of 12 or 13 players,” he said.

“I’m going to make sure every person gets 90 minutes. Friday is more for the club than us as a team.”