Third time lucky? Melton Town chairman Sam Ellis says club are hungry to earn promotion after hopes were ended by halted campaign

Nathan Arnold in action for Melton Town. Photo: Tim Williams

Melton Town chairman Sam Ellis believes there is a hunger at the club to earn the promotion they felt should have been achieved last season.

Town needed to claim 15 points from their 12 remaining UCL Division One matches to secure a place in the Premier Division before the 2019-20 campaign was declared null and void.

Having narrowly missed out on promotion the previous season as well, Mr Ellis wants it to be third time lucky.

“I think we feel hard done to,” he said. “All the teams hoping to get promoted feel hard done to.

“It’s like you’re half way through the Grand National and the race starts again.

“You are determined to get back up on your horse and show you can still get promoted.”

It is currently hoped the new season can begin in late September for non-league clubs.

Mr Ellis is keen for manager Tom Manship and the majority of last season’s squad to remain with the club when action resumes.

“There’ll be no change from that side of things,” he said regarding Manship. “It’s unfinished business.

“We had a magnificent season last season. So why change what’s a winning formula? Under Tom’s leadership we’ve done very well.

“Until training resumes we don’t know, but it looks like the core of the squad will be there for next season.”

While Town are looking positively to the future, Mr Ellis admits there is a lingering frustration that steps three to six of the National League system had their results expunged yet the divisions higher up the pyramid are finding ways to conclude their campaigns.

“There’s just no consistency at all,” he added. “In my view the FA decision to end the season was correct, but then they should have sat on their hands and seen how the pandemic went before they made a decision as to how the league should finish.

"They essentially null and voided steps three to six because of contracted players in steps three and four.

"Of course, they didn't think there was going to be furloughing, in which contracted players could have been furloughed.

“Looking back at it now it looks a bit daft as leagues above are doing PPG. There should have been a decision by the FA, all leagues doing it one way. This causes resentment."