RADCLIFFE joint boss Bernard Morley said guiding his home-town club to the league title and promotion made the decision to return to football all the more worth it.


Morley and co-manager Anthony Johnson took time away from football after leaving Spennymoor Town last season - and Morley admitted Radcliffe was the only club that could entice him back.


It was a party atmosphere at the Neuven Stadium on Saturday as Boro drew 1-1 with Basford United watched by 2,351 - a record home attendance.
Jordan Hulme had given the champions a 60th minute lead before an equaliser from Prince Mancinelli deep in to injury time levelled matters, not that it dampened the celebrations as Nicky Adams lifted the NPL Premier Division trophy after the final whistle.


Speaking to the club website, Morley said: “Sometimes you don’t appreciate things in life but I think about coming out of the game last year for nine months, evaluate my life, seeing what we want to do, whether we wanted to go back in, whether we didn’t. I had a good chat with my friend (Anthony Johnson) and I think the only club for me was going to be Radcliffe.”


Morley was a frequent visitor to Boro as a fan last season but is now delighted to have achieved what he set out to do - stood on the touchline rather than sat in the stands.


“When you sit on the fence and you watch results week-in, week-out, you want to support your local football club,” he said.
“We’ve seen them last year half a dozen times and this is what I wanted to do, I just wanted to be a part of it.

 
"And to see friends and family, people I haven’t seen for years, coming together to celebrate the highest position Radcliffe have ever been to is probably everything that had to be to get me back in to football and we’ll enjoy it.”


He added: “It’s what we envisaged, it’s what we thought we could do. I’m not saying we are the best at what we do or the best coaches or best managers but what we do is give people a platform to enjoy themselves and we create a culture where people want to be a part of it and that is part and parcel of management.


“A lot of managers will tell you different but for me and Jonno it’s if its one in we’re all in and there are lines we don’t cross and players and supporters and coaches know that.”


Morley said working at his home town club - a club he played for 20 years ago - has given him his ‘mojo back’ and he is now looking forward to the challenge of competing in the National League North next season.


“We sat here 10 months ago and told people what we would do or what we would try and do and we have achieved it,” he said.


“Everything we wanted to do in abundance - I just hope that we can continue to do what we are doing. 
“I do believe we can go next year and we can enjoy it and mix it with the big boys...there are some massive clubs in that league and we are really looking forward to it.


“We have really got our mojo back, that bug back to win every game of football and we have created an atmosphere this year - internally in terms of the dressing room and externally in terms of the crowd. 
“We have brought everybody together.”