THE POLICY behind Mossley’s charge up the league table is fairly simple – just plain happiness.
A fine run of results has catapulted the Lilywhites into play-off contention in the Northern Premier League West Division.
Smiles are on faces at Seel Park as manager David Fish’s side comes good following a shaky start.
And the man in charge told The Correspondent about how turning frowns upside down was a key part of his thinking for this campaign.
That meant letting go of people who did not do what he asked.
Fish said: “We needed to change something. Last season didn’t work.
“Things had got a bit stale. We needed to change things and do something different.
“We’ve a better, hungrier, fitter squad this year – that had to be the way to go. We haven’t got the money to go and get a team of superstars.
“That makes up for a lack of finance, as well as that togetherness – making sure you’ve the right spirit in the dressing room.
“And it had to be a long-term approach. We’re not in the position where we can spend the money to guarantee a seat at the top table.
“To force your way into the top five requires either a massive budget or that real togetherness and team spirit, we had to go for the latter.
“I could see a change in pre-season. There was more willingness to take challenge and criticism and because it was new, there were no cliques or corners, which develop when players are together for a period of time.
“There were times last season when I criticised players and they didn’t take it well.
“There were players I didn’t think were doing what I expected of them, both on and off the pitch.
“Conversations were had and I didn’t get the right reaction. I either got no reaction or the wrong reaction, that sort of thing factored into decisions around players you keep and what you move on.
“Fans judge what they see for 90 minutes, we judged it based on every interaction we had over the course of the week.”
The new outlook of Fish’s side – coupled with recent results – is just like the man leading them.
This season, he is probably half the man he was after taking up running, including doing the Mossley 10k and Manchester Half Marathon, following health advice.
And that is proving a good way of not letting the stresses of football management get on top of him.
Fish added: “The reason was just to get healthy – dieting, running, exercise and just being consistent with good habits. I feel miles better for it.
“I run a lot and that’s good to destress. It’s all positive – feel better physically, feel better mentally.
“I have an annual medical at work. I went this year and had various BMIs, weights and blood pressure taken, and discussions about medication.
“I had an honest conversation with the doctor about it and that was the catalyst.”