KEVIN Tully feels Winsford United will still get promotion because of the pre-season work he's done for them.

Tully left his job as manager of the Blues by mutual consent last week in the wake of personal problems, including the death of his mother, which affected the time he could dedicate to the task.

New boss Steve Shaughnessy, who Tully re-signed for the Blues last season, now has the full backing of his predecessor, despite his regret that he wasn't able to carry his pre-season work into the promotion slog.

Tully said: "Due to my own circumstances, I haven't got the time available at the moment but there's a squad of players which should be capable of challenging, only time will tell.

"I went 29 games unbeaten in UniBond Division One with Witton so I know what's required and I know what the league's about.

"Then, I only had two months preparation. I've had eight months to prepare at Winsford so I was confident we would be challenging.

"Steve Shaughnessy gets a good squad now and hopefully he'll do well with it. I would expect them to be up there at the end of the season.

"In pre-season we lost only one out of six so that would suggest there's been a big improvement somewhere."

Tully came to Barton Stadium after Mark Came's sacking last September, with Winsford bottom of the UniBond Premier with two points from eight matches.

His eagerness to change produced a quick-fix solution to the team's traumas resulting in United having over 50 players on their books at one point.

However, with relegation a formality long before the end of the winter, 47-year-old Tully feels his contribution to the Blues will eventually turn out to be positive.

"Last season Winsford wouldn't have won games if Alf Ramsey had been in charge," he said with typical irony.

"Some people might think my time was non-productive. It was non-productive when I went. My hands were tied for two or three months because of cups and it's only in the last month I've been able to get anything like the players I want.

"I've worked through the summer with no directors and no chairman and kept all the players fit and strong and together. To perform well against Conference opposition was an achievement."

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