Steve Smith: Bishop's Stortford manager/owner expects promoted club to rise to challenge
- Published
Steve Smith became Bishop's Stortford manager when player-boss Jamie Cureton left in 2020
Manager/owner Steve Smith is undaunted by the challenge awaiting Bishop's Stortford following promotion to the sixth tier of English football.
The Blues will probably play in National League South after winning the Isthmian League Premier title.
Already confirmed as champions, they ended the campaign on 88 points after a 5-0 victory at Herne Bay.
"We're not going to stand still, we're going to try to push on," Smith told the BBC Non-League Show.
"The team I've got at the moment will compete, I'm not saying it's going to win National League South, but I think we'll be mid-table with what we've got - and if we strengthen in a couple of areas we've got a side that can push for the play-offs next year."
Promotion, the club's biggest achievement since winning the 1981 FA Trophy, is likely to mean matches next season against Yeovil Town, who have already been relegated from National League, and Torquay United, whose chances of avoiding the drop with one game to play are remote.
"It's going to be really exciting to be part of that. They've both been [English Football] league clubs not so many years ago and for us to be competing at that level, it's a really proud moment," said Smith.
It is, however, not yet 100% certain which division Bishop's Stortford will be in as the National League have to allocate promoted and relegated teams to ensure South and North have the same number.
The Blues are by no means the highest scorers in Isthmian Premier; the goal tally of runners-up Hornchurch was 23 more, but they only conceded 33, by far the best defensive record in the division.
And promotion has been achieved with a squad mixing youth and experience.
Smith continued: "It's a big thing. There's a lot of boys in the dressing room, 31 or 32, Mark Haines, [Anthony] Church, they've never won a league before so it's great for them, at the tail end of their careers really, to have won it.
"And then we go to the other end of the scale, we've got young lads on loan from Colchester, they're going to pick up a league winners medal at 19 years of age."
He has previously been in National League with Chelmsford City and believes his side have nothing to fear next season, adding: "I've watched a few games at South level this year and it certainly doesn't daunt me. I'm not frightened of it.
"The club is secure off the pitch now which it wasn't when we took over, so we're in good shape all round.
"It's no good going up and coming straight back down. We want to go up and consolidate or hopefully do even better than that.
"We try to play the right way and people have started to come back through the turnstiles. We had 1,350 against Enfield which was the biggest crowd at Bishop's Stortford for years.
"I've been around football for a lot of years and this last two or three have been the best I've had at any club."