Consistency the key for North Wales Crusaders

North Wales Crusaders coach Mike Grady says consistency is the key for them to prove people wrong this season.

The Crusaders have gone under the radar in most people’s predictions and Grady is confident that they can challenge for the play-off places.

North Wales line-up in League One for the fourth successive season, and have finished the last two seasons outside of the top eight – 10th in 2016 and then 9th in 2017, before finishing third in the League One Shield.

Grady said: “The main thing for us is consistency. We were very inconsistent last year.

“We seemed to perform against the top eight sides and ground out some great results, and then when we played the bottom sides we got complacent.

“With the additions we’ve got this year, I’m hoping we can sort that consistency issue out and maybe learn to manage games more and go from there.

“I’m basically just looking for a better finish than we did last year.”

North Wales won League One in 2013 but were relegated back after just one season in the Championship.

They did manage to lift some silverware in 2015, the League One Cup, though they were beaten by Newcastle in the 2016 League One Shield final.

With Bradford headlining the competition this season, there are at least half a dozen other clubs who fancy their chances of promotion.

Grady added: “It looks like a very tough league.

“If you look at people’s predictions, I don’t think we’re even in people’s top 10, so we’ve gone massively under the radar which is fantastic for us.

“I’m more than confident we can have a good go of it this year.”

North Wales kick-off the League One season on Sunday at home to London Skolars.