ATHERTON LR manager Alan Lord spent last weekend reminiscing on the hundreds of games at non-league level he has been involved in and knew immediately exactly where to rate his current team's showing in the Saturday afternoon's 7-2 home defeat by Mossley in the NWCL Worthington Challenge Trophy.

"It has got to be the worst display - by far - from a team that I have ever put out," he fumes.

"We were battered out of sight. I said before the game that I would find out all I needed about the players - but I was wrong - I found out more.

"The fitness level of some of our players is a joke. As a team we are a million miles from being fit. Sixty minutes and some of our players are dead, play against a team with the quality that can keep the ball and they won't even last that long.

"Part time training isn't the best at any time but lads have a responsibility to keep themselves in condition and they haven't even started. It has been an eye-opener in my first four weeks at the club seeing some players with total apathy towards the simplest of tasks.

"I'm talking really, really basic bottom of the line stuff and they can't or won't do it. We have lads who, because they have held down first team places think they are first team players but they only need to look at where we are in the league to know whether they are good enough.

"Only four players, Mark Parry, Mike Morris, Ryan Bailey and Gavin Salmon came out of the Mossley game with any credit. I've yet to see any four man team win anything!

"We have four players on contract, Mike Rhead, Mark Mather, Paul Meredith and Barry Cotterill but only one of those has so far put his head forward for a definite place. Three players have been released from the club this week, one of them with an attitude problem - and there will be more if there is no improvement.

"We had 33 players down at training on the Thursday which is a phenomenal number but not if the majority of them are as undisciplined as I have seen so far.

"I tell them how simple it is - train, keep in touch - outside those boundaries - on yer bike. If that is too much to ask then they can go.

"It's a strip down and rebuild exercise for me and I haven't got weeks and weeks to do it. If players want to make their mark and be involved the door is open for them - if not - it's open for them to walk through and disappear.

"I've brought six players in already - Liam Boden, Mark Parry, Mark Fitton and Jason Holroyd who were with me at Colls, Gavin Salmon from Hyde United and Ryan Bailey from Abbey Hey. This week Steve Strange who was at Ramsbottom last season is set to link up with us. He's the sort of tough character I need at the club.

"My other major new signing will be Danny Johnson who is current manager of the Manchester County FA Under 18s who will be joining the backroom staff. He'll be a big boost for us because of his knowledge of players at the right age, ability and potential in and around Manchester."

Tomorrow LR have the opportunity to get back in Lord's good books with an away Division Two game at third from bottom Colne.