Workington Town coach Leon Pryce has called on everyone associated with the club to pull together, as they prepare to end a difficult seven days with a huge League 1 clash with Doncaster this weekend.
Approaching the halfway point in Pryce’s inaugural season as a coach, Town are handily placed just outside the League 1 play-off places – a position which would be enhanced with victory over fourth-placed Doncaster at Derwent Park on Sunday.
Pryce has used his experience in the game to bring in the likes of Sean Penkywicz and Fuifui Moimoi in to boost his squad, and they are currently the only side to beat league leaders Bradford – but this week, the club parted company with assistant coach Jonty Gorley.
And after the exit of a man who had been at Town for several years, Pryce is hopeful such a tumultuous week can bring the club together.
“I’d like to thank Jonty on the record,” he said of Gorley’s exit.
“I’ve been considering making a change but it was only after speaking to several extremely-experienced coaches who I’ve worked under that I felt the time was right.
“I’m hoping this week, and the loss to York last Sunday, can galvanise us all. That’s my task, to bring the team together in difficult situations like these. Decisions have been made in the best interest of the club, and I won’t lie, it’s been my toughest week as a coach up to press. When I started as a coach, I knew it would be something I’d have to deal with – but it doesn’t make it any easier.”
Pryce is also keen to point out that victory against Richard Horne’s Dons would quickly shift the mood at Town.
“We’re right in the mix, and we’re even more in it if we get that win on Sunday,” he said.
“There are five or six teams who are really closely-bunched together, and while last week was a big setback, it’s important to remember we’d won three on the bounce before that.
“I want to keep the family feeling at Workington without a doubt, but at the same time, I’ve got to be professional and look for the players I think can make a difference at this club. If we get a response on the pitch this weekend, we’ll be handily-placed. We’re a good side, I know that – we just need to find some consistency.”
