A step into the unknown for Market Drayton Town

Town’s debut at Tennyson Road will be his fifth game in charge since taking over in controversial circumstances from axed 18-year clubman Martyn Davies – and his fourth on the road.

That’s a very tough break for a new boss at any level of the game. Throw in the fact that Town’s player strike in the wake of Davies’ dismissal left Abbott with less than 48 hours to assemble a new squad virtually from scratch for a league he’s never managed in before, and it’s been an understandably rocky old road for Abbott and his lads.

Of the four games played on his brief watch, two have been in the league – Saturday’s 3-0 setback at Cartlon Town and a 1-1 home draw with Belper – while the others were a 2-0 exit from the FA Trophy at Chasetown and a 3-1 Integro League Cup defeat at Newcastle Town.

Not what Abbott would have anticipated when the Greenfields job came his way – and not what might be expected given his great record with Wolverhampton Casuals and Hinckley AFC, where he achieved an impressive 70 per cent plus record of victories for three seasons.

But it’s said fences are being mended, progress is being made on and off the field and, as ever, the sport moves on. Peterborough, totally new territory for Town, could be a great starting point for another era in Drayton’s often trouble-torn development – but they certainly won’t be a pushover.

Sporting’s results have been erratic. This, however, is an outfit that set all sorts of records in the spring, winning promotion from the UCL by picking up 112 premier section points while scoring a formidable 150 league goals and a frightening 205 in all competitions.

Drayton have also signed defender Francino Francis from Sutton Coldfield Town.