Budget cut won't deter Harrogate Railway boss Billy Miller

Harrogate Railway boss Billy Miller

By James Grayson (Twitter: @jamesAgrayson)

Harrogate Railway chief Billy Miller believes a budget cut won’t stop them because players love playing at Station View.  

Despite the cut, Miller has retained most of last season’s team – only Danny Hull (Farsley AFC), Dan Coupland, Joe McCann, goalkeeper Sam Dobbs, Alex Hallam and Bradford-based Damian Hopkins have moved on.

Loyal players such as Colin Hunter, captain Jon Maloney, Paddy McGuire, Simon Parkes and Simon Wood remain and will play alongside new signings Chris Hanney (Liversedge) and centre-half Billy Williams (Barnoldswick Town).

Evo Stik Division One North safety is the priority this season and Miller claims that his and assistant Lee Ashforth’s management style ensures players stay with the club.  

“We’re in a better position than what we were this time last season so if we can emulate the 41-42 points we got last year – that’s our starting point, it has got to be,” he said.

“We have always said that a point a game will guarantee staying up. To go down on 42 points would be quite harsh. If we can do that – a point a game – that will be our target, whilst the club builds from the inside out.

“We need to get the financial status right at the club first. The player budget won’t increase. The clubhouse has taken a lot out of the club and it needs just a little bit of time to mature and get established in the community. The rest will then follow.

“All we have to do this year is maintain our status as an Evo Stik side. In terms of the season, if we can improve on last season’s performance then everything after that is a bonus.

“The budget has been cut slightly. We are operating on a really small budget. But, the key for us is creating an environment that lads can come and enjoy their football in.

“We’re not screamers and shouters. We give the lads a job to do and then we ask them to go and do it. If it is not going right, we talk about it at half-time or after the game. We’re trying to create an environment that people want to come and play, which how we have got your Craig Radcliffe’s, Rob Youhill, Tino, Jesus who are good players at this level, but are still playing for us.

“They play us because we have an environment that we’re not screaming and shouting at them all the time.

“There is no pressure on us because we haven’t got a big budget which means expectations are not too high so lads can come and enjoy themselves.”

Since leaving Liversedge last summer to take charge of Railway, Miller has been busy trying to establish his club in the community.

Miller, a lecturer at Askern Bryan College, has linked the club and neighbours Harrogate Town to the college, while also building a friendship with Town boss Simon Weaver.

Rob Youhill, Liam Hardy, Craig Radcliffe, Dan Clayton and highly-rated goalkeeper Craig MacGillivray appeared on loan for Railway from Town last season and Miller admits the special relationship with Town is vital.

“It is massive and Simon Weaver over the past year has become not just a colleague of the game, but a really good friend of myself and (assistant Lee Ashforth) Ashy,” he said.

“Whilst I was away last week, Ash was in constant contact and conversation with him. We talk quite a lot about players because we can benefit each other. We are in a position where we’re going around the Evo Stik North league where there is a lot of good players so we can pass on hints and tips and say ‘look this lad is doing really well at this club and it might be someone you want to look at’.

“The more players that come in between the two clubs then the better for us. We can only benefit from it. Sometimes if there are budgets to cover then it doesn’t work out for us, lads go elsewhere.

“What we try to do and it certainly happened with Rob Youhill. Rob came in and really enjoyed it and went back. On the back of that we picked up Dan Clayton. He came in and really enjoyed it and before we know it, the lads who are on the fringes of the team are going to Simon to ask if they can come.

“I go back to what I said at the start, it is about creating that environment where they are enjoying their football and it is not about picking up their £100 a week up.”

Josh Windass

Miller received some good news on Tuesday when Josh Windass, son of Hull City legend Dean, signed a one-year-deal with Accrington Stanley.

Windass appeared a few times at the end of last season for Railway and the Railway boss was delighted that midfielder had got a move to a League Two club.

“I was chatting to Josh a couple of days ago and he broke his arm at the last game of the season at Mossley,” he said.

“Josh played for us last season and he could have moved on. He was really complimentary and said: ‘thanks for everything’. I’m so chuffed for the kid because he deserves everything he has got because he never stopped believing when he was released (from Huddersfield Town).

“All we did was give him the environment to go and enjoy himself.

“He was planning to come back this season, but he picked up the opportunity to go and train with Accrington. He did really well and played against Everton and Tranmere.

“It is massive satisfaction for us because as a club we know where we are and know where we want to be and know how we are going to get there. It is just going to be a time-consuming process.

“It is a great club, a community club right in the heart of the community and the key thing for us is the establishment of the relationship with Harrogate Town because it is massive for us.”