JOCKEYS UP AND RUNNING

Boss Shinn's galloping into Step 4

- John Lyons

NEWMARKET is known as the headquarters of British horseracing, but its football team are now enjoying their own moment in the spotlight.

Newmarket Town, fittingly known as the Jockeys, had to wait a little while longer than others to claim promotion after a delay in the Eastern Counties League play-offs, but surged through the finish line with a 2-0 home success against Mulbarton Wanderers in front of a bumper crowd of over 900 spectators.

It means the ambitious Suffolk club can look forward to Step 4 football for the first time in their 147-year history, namely in Isthmian North. It is something that manager Michael Shinn is relishing.

“I’ve said to people before, with no disrespect, that Step 4 for me is where Non-League football really starts,” the 39-year-old told The NLP. “You’ve got the professionalism of Step 4 and above, and those are the levels you want to be involved in.

“Isthmian North was the league we wanted to be in. There are some local clubs which will bring some decent crowds in – Mildenhall, Cambridge City and Bury are all pretty close – so from a financial point of view that will help the club massively.

“I played for Heybridge Swifts for three years and made about 150 appearances so that was one that jumped out straightaway for me.

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