Exciting times as Whing works to keep his Banbury United team together

Morgan Roberts scored twice in Banbury United's 4-1 win in their final league game of the season at Needham Market Picture by Julie Hawkins

With another year on his contract, Banbury United’s manager is already looking ahead to next season and has started speaking to the players.

“I’ll be chatting to them and their agents over the next few weeks. We want to keep everybody in the squad, pretty much, as they have been absolutely fantastic,” Andy Whing told Puritans Radio in the season’s final club interview.

"Hopefully the vast majority will stay. It’s going to be tough. Obviously they are going to get offers from elsewhere, that’s understandable from how well they have done this season, but hopefully we can keep them and keep that momentum up for next season.

“Other clubs will be coming in for them, but we believe we have a really good environment, a really good project going on to keep them at the football club – and hopefully add a few as well. It’s going to be an exciting three months for us.”

Promoted to Step 2, National League North, Whing doesn’t think the extra travelling will be an issue, although may restrict recruiting players who live south of Banbury.

He said his season highlights included both Stourbridge games, drawing the first with ten men from being 1-0 down after five minutes and winning the other 2-0 with only 11 fit players, the last minute goal at Hednesford and their remarkable performances at Peterborough Sports, Coalville and Rushall.

"There’s loads,” he said. “These are the moments you realise you have a great group on your hands.

"It’s been an absolutely fantastic season and everyone should be proud to be associated with the football club.

"And to do back-to-back FA Cup first rounds is unbelievable, to be on the TV with a sell-out crowd.

"To win the league by 23 points, with our budget against big teams in this league, what an achievement that is.

“Hopefully it’s just the start and we have to prepare for next season now. We have got work to do. I’m looking forward to pre-season already.

“Players should be really excited to be here, the club’s on the up, a forward thinking football club and it’s really exciting times for us.”

He said it’s been a tough nine months and the players will have a break now until the end of June and spend a bit of time with their families and friends.

“Then we’ll have a right good go when we come back for pre-season,” he added.