Tamworth ready for 'the biggest step in football'

The Lamb, which has a 4,000 capacity, has been home to Tamworth since 1934

Tamworth might be a place better known historically for the popularity of its pigs but over the last two seasons, its Lambs have been proving pretty popular too.

Back-to back promotions have earned the Midlands non-league club a place back in the National League for the first time in 10 years.

It is 21 years since the Lambs first won promotion to English non-league football's top tier, or Step One as they call it, and, being only part-timers, last season's runaway National League North champions are already being tipped to go straight back.

But, although Tamworth boss Andy Peaks knows just what a big step it is, he is still confident that the Lambs will stay up come next April.

"Every step in football is a big step," he told BBC Radio WM. "And, for me, this is the biggest step of all.

"Most of the clubs we are up against are full-time and that is a massive difference.

"A lot of people have written us off already and say we'll be relegated.

"But I think we'll have enough as we're good enough at the things we do well."

'A lot of agents think we've got mega bucks'

Having last been relegated from the National League at the end of the 2013-14 season, then relegated again from National League North to the Southern Central Premier in 2018, the Lambs were still on a bit of a downward spiral when former Northampton Town and Rushden player Peaks was appointed in February 2022 on an 18-month contract.

His challenge was simply to keep the Lambs up that season - but things began to happen immediately - and the 14-game unbeaten run they ended that season with proved a springboard for future success.

"We were languishing in the bottom half of step three when we came in," he said.

"But we've had back-to-back promotions - and we have had to embrace it.

"It's been relentless this summer. I haven't really had a break, but that's only happened because we've been successful.

"A lot of agents have approached us thinking we've got mega bucks or are going full-time, so I've had to sift through the good and the bad, but we've managed to bring in seven players.

"We're part-time and we've had to cut our cloth accordingly - but I'm happy with what I've got for what we've spent."

Peaks also sees the first-day challenge of hosting Sutton United, who were relegated from League Two last season, as a positive, despite the two clubs having started last season two divisions apart.

"We had the same thing last season when we played Scunthorpe on the first day," Peaks said.

"We lost, but I still saw enough to know we'd be all right. And, as it proved, we were more than all right."

Andy Peaks was talking to BBC Radio WM's Steve Hermon