NIGEL Emery has asked for time to finish the job he has started at Selby Town.

Since taking over as manager 12 months ago this week, Emery has assembled a squad of local young players that currently sit ninth in the Toolstation Northern Counties East League division one.

But Town’s committee are not known for their patience having dismissed TEN coaching teams since the departure of club legend Bob Lyon in 2010. Only Dave Ricardo and Ian Dring survived longer than a year in the job.

Emery has felt some opposition from within the club’s committee to his youth policy but believes that stability is the only way for the Robins to consolidate and progress.

“We’ve put Selby in a position that it’s not been in for ten years,” he said. “Players have been coming and going all the time. It’s not been good for the club.

“It just needs that little bit of stability in terms of everything, the committee, the management and the players," he added.

“They’ve been looking at it after 25 games and, if we’re not doing that well, look to sack the manager. We need that run of two, three or four seasons in the job.

“These kids at 18 or 19 aren’t going to win the league but, if they have a run in the team with the same manager and stick together, they will come good.”

By giving extended game time to the likes of Alex Ward, James Arnold, Liam Flanagan and Jordan Emery, the former Hounds FC boss feels he now has the spine of a side to represent the club for years to come.

Emery, assisted by UEFA-licensed coach Nick Peacock, has underscored the importance of building a local playing staff since he took the role and sees the club as already reaping the rewards of this philosophy.

“This season we’ve got more of a crowd, a smaller squad and better sponsors,” he said. “Everyone in Selby is talking about the football club for a change, in good things rather than bad.

“We’ve been criticised for not having local players or local sponsors in the past but now people are coming to watch the local lads and enjoying it. It just seems that not everybody is pulling in the same direction.”

Selby are in action at Shirebrook Town tomorrow afternoon (Saturday) (kick-off 3pm)

Emery expects his side to compete well down in North Derbyshire.

“On our day, we compete with the top teams in the league against teams that are paying nearly double our budget,” he commented. “Our lads are getting a lot of experience all at once and it’ll be another battle for them down at Shirebrook who are a good side.”