Workington Reds on brink of overdue promotion that would mean so much

Should they defeat Runcorn Linnets at Borough Park tomorrow, it will mean promotion from NPL West – and the belated righting of what has always felt like a three-year-old wrong.

Danny Grainger, in 2020, was in his first spell as Reds manager and, despite topping the table by some distance, saw his side denied promotion when Covid intervened – non-league football at that level declared null-and-void.

If that feeling of frustration helps fuel them to some degree, then victory on Saturday would taste extra sweet.

“It would be huge for the club,” says Grainger.

“It would be a massive achievement for myself – I’m very young on this side of things, and to be able to get a promotion would be amazing.

“But, more than anything, the boys deserve it. What they give, and the commitment they show, is unbelievable.

“We were robbed of it in my first season, there’s no two ways about it. We were robbed of a promotion. When you’re ten points clear with seven to go…but that’s football, you have to get on with it.

“The club, the fans, players, myself, everyone’s family, the support networks we have...it would be huge for all of us. We know what it will mean.”

Grainger says Reds were robbed of promotion in 2020 - but now their destiny is in their own hands (Image: Tom Kay)

Workington, who has another promising season denied by COVID in 2020/21, fell in the play-off semi-finals last season when, then managed by Chris Willcock, they were beaten by Marine. This time they showed their strength in overcoming Clitheroe 2-0 in front of 1,665 fans on Tuesday night.

Promotion is now in their hands, especially if the tale of the season is reflected in Saturday’s final. Workington, in finishing third, came 12 points ahead of fifth-placed Runcorn – yet their opponents impressively defeated second-placed Leek Town in their play-off semi.

There can be no givens at this stage, in this sort of contest, but Workington looked the part on Tuesday - winning through goals from Conor Tinnion and Dav Symington - and can attack the final with confidence, says Grainger, who returned to the helm last summer after a spell with Falkirk.

“They rose to the occasion [on Tuesday],” he says. “Sometimes games like that are tough to go and play your normal game in – it’s a massive stage, a massive reward for the winners, but the boys were absolutely different class.

“The bravery they showed to go and play their normal game, which we know is risky, was there, and for me they got what they deserved against a very good Clitheroe team.

“But that’s only part one done. Our ambitions from day one, whenever I’ve been at the club, has been to get promoted out of this league. That doesn’t change, and we’re now going into a one-off game where we’re in control of our own destiny.”

Grainger’s decisions for Saturday include whether to bring defender Sam Smith back into things upon his recovery from injury. “If we can add Sam to the squad that’s a massive plus. He’s a huge player for us. But Steven Rigg at centre-half was absolutely different class,” adds the manager of a player more commonly seen further up the pitch.

Steven Rigg, better known as an attacker or midfielder, has impressed in Reds' defence recently

Grainger’s Reds did not start the season at full tilt but, as things went on, rose up the table and emerged as one of the division’s strongest sides behind runaway champions Macclesfield.

It is now time for his players to issue one more reminder of their quality, he says.

“I’ve always had belief in the players. I’ve said that on numerous occasions – I wish they had half the amount of belief in themselves as I have,” he says.

“I think they’re starting to realise how good a team they can be. I think we’re in a great place at the moment, everyone’s pulling in the same direction.

“In some dressing rooms you can find that the ones who aren’t playing are pulling against you. But in the last six weeks or so I’ve felt we’ve turned a corner and everyone’s pulling in the same direction.

“Everybody to a man is part of it. We’ve got lads there like Danny Eccles who’s had very minimal game time, he’s there for us. Sam Smith’s injured, Ben Hughes missed out on Tuesday, but they’ve always got behind the players.

“That togetherness is key for any team to be successful and they’re showing it in abundance.”

Runcorn, who Reds beat twice in the league but defeated Workington in the FA Trophy, cannot be underestimated. In the away dugout is a former team-mate of Grainger – Billy Paynter, who played in the same Carlisle side as the Reds boss in the 2014/15 season, having signed for the Blues in the same summer.

Danny Grainger and Billy Paynter signed for Carlisle in the same summer of 2014 - nine years on, they are in opposite dugouts for this weekend's NPL West play-off final (Image: Stuart Walker)

He was appointed late in the campaign after the sacking of Dave Wild over “gross misconduct”. Paynter, previously a coach with Port Vale, is another vastly experienced figure.

“Runcorn finished 13 points behind Leek, but have gone down there and put in a performance to get them a result,” Grainger says.

“Billy Paynter will be hoping to get his team over the line, but as always I’ll make the game about us.

“We don’t underestimate anybody. I respect every team we come up against, whatever league, whatever competition – we do the same preparation and same due diligence.

“That will be no different on Saturday. If we turn up and really impose ourselves on the game I’m confident we can get a result.

“On Saturday we left the ground at 7ish and I asked them if they wanted to train on Penrith on the Sunday in preparation for Tuesday, and every single one of them wanted to.

“That shows what the boys are about. They could quite easily have said, ‘No, we’ll have a day off,’ but they wanted to be prepared and to give everything for the club. What they do and give up all season long is different level.”

Despite the magnitude of the game, with a place in the Northern Premier League Premier Division at stake, Grainger says preparations have followed the normal path – “train Thursday night as normal, video analysis as normal, shape work and usual routine, and try and keep it as normal as possible.

“It’s a one-off game. These games are about who turns up, and if we turn up in the way we can, we can hurt a lot of teams. That won’t change on Saturday – we’ll be brave to go and play, impose ourselves on the game and hopefully with another massive crowd behind us.

“The atmosphere on Tuesday was fantastic. It was a real showcase for non-league – good quality, with a bit of fight in there, and both sets of fans singing all night long.

“Runcorn will be well backed, they’ll bring 4-500 fans, and it’s going to be another spectacle. A bit of a downside is the fact it’s Carlisle’s last home game on the same day, which will keep away a few of those fans who might come and get behind us when Carlisle are away.

Dav Symington will be out to cap an impressive Workington season with another matchwinning effort in the final (Image: Ben Challis)

“But the support we’ve had this season has been fantastic regardless of that. Our average gate has gone up again and all we can do is keep trying to add numbers to that and keep progressing.”

Victory would mean a first promotion for Reds since 2005, and a first managerial accolade for Grainger – three years after the one he and his colleagues feel should have been theirs three years back.

“I’ve been lucky to have won leagues with Gretna in front of 300 and major trophies with Hearts in front of big crowds,” adds the 36-year-old. “No matter where it happens, if you win a trophy or getting promoted…there’s not a better feeling in football.

“There’s not many highs in football but when they’re there, they outweigh the lows by a long way. The squad are in a good frame of mind, and they’re ready to go.”