Tuesday 14th June 2011
by IAN RICHARDSON

Manager Mark Atkins reckons that he has found the experience that was perhaps lacking in his Matlock Town squad after agreeing deals with Worksop Town winger Chris Bettney and Frickley Athletic defender Simon Sturdy.

For Sturdy it is a return to the Reynolds Stadium having spent 3 months on loan with the Gladiators from Blue Square North Harrogate Town in the 2009/10 campaign.

And Matlock fans will be glad to see Bettney in their colours with him regularly being a thorn in their side and a regular scorer when facing them for the likes of Alfreton Town, Bradford Park Avenue and Retford United.

33 years old Bettney started out at Sheffield United but only managed one first team appearance between 1996 and 1999. He was loaned out to Hull City for whom he played made 30 matches, scoring one goal. Then came 39 appearances shared between Chesterfield, Rochdale and Macclesfield Town before moving into non league with Worksop, te, Ilkeston Town, Alfreton Town, Harrogate Town, Bradford Park Avenue and Retford before starting a second spell with Worksop at the start of last season.

"He'll give us the width we've been lacking over the past two years or so and he's an experienced player who has played for successful teams at a decent level" said Atkins. "I'm sure he'll help the younger players along and get in good quality crosses. He'll also get a good few goals for us having scored plenty against Matlock in the past, so we're hoping that he can put a few in the opposition's net playing for us."

34 years old Sturdy has a wealth of experience at Evo-Stik Premier and Blue Square North level having worn the colours of Guiseley, Droylsden, Eastwood Town where he was a member of the Badgers' Northern premier league title winning side of 2008/09, Harrogate Town and Frickley.

"He'll offer us more cover in an area where we were a bit short towards the end of last season" Atkins continued. "He was very popular when he was here on loan before and he actually approached me about coming back, despite living up at York."

With a number of clubs facing financial worries, Atkins reiterated the importance of keeping within a budget.

"There's a budget and I have to stay within it which I've done in my two and a half years here. With the stand and the Social Club being built, we can't spend quite as much as we'd like on the playing side but we're managing to attract and keep some very good players.

"I think people can see what we have here and how we play our football and want to be part of it, part of a happy club. Both Chris and Simon were offered more money at other clubs but they still wanted to come here."

Meanwhile league attendances at the Reynolds Stadium increased by 15% last season. The average in 2010/11 was 401 compared with 348 in the previous campaign. And with FC United of Manchester remaining in the division after losing their play off final to Colwyn Bay, having attracted a season's best gate of 1,249 to Matlock on Easter Saturday, Matlock will  be confident of a further rise next season as newly promoted Chester and Chorley travel well, as do local rivals Buxton and relegated Stafford Rangers.

"There's a few more bigger clubs in the division and our Social Club is bound to attract extra punters as people can come down and watch a live match on tv before cheering us on" said Atkins.

Having got through the 400 barrier, the Gladiators now must be looking to put field a promotion challenging side which can push up that average to 500 and beyond.

RECENT STORIES

GLADIATORS BATTLE ON -
According to boss Mark Atkins, 2 wins and 2 clean sheets has done much to right the wrongs of Matlock Town's first 2 games. More...

NEW SIGNING GIVES ATKINS SELECTION HEADACHE -
Striker Tyeisse Nightingale has signed for Matlock Town and now Gladiators boss Mark Atkins feels he has competition throughout his squad. More...

MATLOCK'S HUNT FOR STRIKER GOES ON -
The Gladiators' search for another striker goes on but new recruit Lee Whittington does his chances of a starting place no harm whatsoever with 4 goals in pre season. More...

GLADIATORS DRAW IN NEW BLOOD -
Matlock boss Mark Atkins swooped quickly to replace his departing goalkeeper Adam Sollitt with Worksop Town's Jon Kennedy More...

FINDERS KEEPERS FOR GLADIATORS -
The shock departure of first choice goalkeeper Adam Sollitt means a new goalkeeper is top of Matlock Manager Atkins' shopping list More...

BATTLE LINES DRAWN. 2011-12 FIXTURES -
A visit to League Cup winners Ashton United on Saturday August 13th is Matlock Town's season opener in the 2011/2012 season after the fixture list was released this week. More...

MIDWEEK FIXTURES CHANGE FOR THE GLADIATORS -
There's a change of midweek home night for Matlock Town this season as the Gladiators switch from Tuesday to Wednesday. More...

TRIALISTS MAKE THEIR MARK FOR GLADIATORS -
A clutch of trialists will have the chance to stake their claim with Mark Atkins' Gladiators when the Blues return for pre season training More...

TWO NEW FACES FOR GLADIATORS -
Matlock Town's first two signings of the summer are a former fan's favourite and an up and coming utility player. More...

DUE TO RETURN TO THE GLADIATORS ARENA NEXT SEASON-
2 of Matlock Town's brightest young stars have signed new 1-year contracts ahead of the new campaign. More...

GLADIATORS BOSS PRAISES BUXTON -
Matlock boss Mark Atkins this week paid tribute to his number two Nick Buxton for his contribution both on and off the field. More...

MATLOCK TOWN'S HANNAH JOINS BRADFORD CITY -
Ross Hannah finally got his wish of a career in the Football League when he joined League Two outfit Bradford City. More...

PRAISE FOR GLADIATORS' YOUNG STAR -
2011 has seen the emergence of a bright young talent at the Reynolds Stadium as 18 year old full back Ben Turner has stepped up to the plate. More...

HANNAH STRIKES GOLD -
Ross Hannah has surely hit legendary status at Matlock Town as his hat trick in Easter Monday's final league game this term saw him shatter the club record of 49 goals in a season. More...

STAY OF EXECUTION FOR THE GLADIATORS-
Boss Mark Atkins admitted it was "a huge relief" to beat Nantwich Town and end their sequence without a league win More...

NEW FACILITIES FOR GLADIATORS -
Success for Evo-Stik League Premier Division outfit Matlock Town hasn't come on the field this season, but off it. More...

IS THE GLADIATOR'S BATTLE OVER? -
Manager Mark Atkins has conceded that his side's hopes of reaching the play offs are all but over. More...

NOW OR NEVER FOR GLADIATORS -
Monday night's 1-0 Evo-Stik League Challenge Cup semi final defeat at Ashton United gives the Gladiators just the play offs to aim for. More...

FIGHT GOES ON FOR GLADIATORS -
Their play off hopes may be fading but Matlock Town boss Mark Atkins insists that the fight goes on. More...

BATTLE AHEAD FOR THE GLADIATORS -
Make no bones about it, Matlock need to beat Whitby Town in Saturday's lunchtime kick off (1pm) at the Reynolds Stadium. More...

NEW BLOOD FOR THE GLADIATORS -
Matlock Town boss Mark Atkins has fulfilled his promise to strengthen his Gladiators squad More...

GLADIATORS BATTLE TO HANG ON TO HANNAH -
Matlock Town boss Mark Atkins says that claims from Torquay that the Gulls had signed Gladiators star striker are "premature to say the very least." More...

AND THE WINNER IS... -
A brace of awards have come Matlock Town's way for boss Mark Atkins and the Gladiators new stand being acclaimed as the best new stand of 2011... More...

GLADIATORS FIGHT TO THE FINISH -
A perfect February has given Matlock Town an excellent chance of making the end of season play offs but boss Mark Atkins is taking nothing for granted. More...

ATKINS PLEASED AFTER WEEKEND WIN -
Matlock boss Mark Atkins reckons the 4-0 win at Retford United was a massive result for his side in more ways than one. More...

ATKINS SEEKS NEW BLOOD -
A busy Mark Atkins is trying to strengthen Matlock's squad ahead of a run of 18 league games and at least one, hopefully more, League Cup tie to play before the season's end. More...

MATLOCK TOWN SEEKS INVESTORS -
"A few thousand pounds could make a real difference to the club". That's the message from Matlock Town Football Club. More...

ALL CHANGE FOR THE GLADIATORS -
Fans shouldn't be surprised to see a couple of changes to the Matlock Town team that takes on Marine at the Reynolds Stadium on Saturday More...

KEEP IT UP -
Having won four out of their last five league matches, Mark Atkins' Matlock Town now find themselves up in third spot, More...

FLU HITS MATLOCK CAMP -
Matlock boss Mark Atkins rose from his sick bed on Monday to orchestrate a vital home win against Burscough, and then was back in it straight after the match. More...

ATKINS, "2010 HAS BEEN A GOOD YEAR" -
...but the Gladiators' fate in 2011 could be decided on how they cope with fixture congestion in what is expected to be a crowded end to the campaign. More...

PROVERBIAL 'SIX POINTER' -
Matlock Town v Buxton on Christmas Monday at the Reynolds Stadium looks to be the proverbial six pointer as the local rivals seek a play off spot More...

GLADIATORS BATTLE ARCTIC CONDITIONS -
Matlock Town boss Mark Atkins fears that his side could face a big fixture backlog as the arctic conditions bit into the Evo-Stik League fixture programme this week. More...

BACK TO WINNING WAYS -
Manager Mark Atkins was pleased and relieved that defensive errors failed to rear up again as Matlock recorded two 3-0 home wins inside a week More...

GLADIATORS
FIGHT ON -
Without a win in five games, Matlock Town will be desperate to grab maximum points against second placed Colwyn Bay on Saturday. More...

ATKINS: GIVING CHEAP GOALS AWAY MUST STOP -
Matlock boss Mark Atkins says his side must stop giving cheap goals away after their second 2-1 home defeat in four days. More...

MILESTONE APPEARANCE FOR GLADIATORS PLAYER -
There's two very good reasons why Matlock Town will want Saturday's visitors Hucknall Town to feel the backlash More...

GLADIATORS FIGHT BACK AFTER 1st AWAY DEFEAT OF THE SEASON -
Mark Atkins will be looking for his Matlock side to bounce back quickly and positively from their first away defeat of the season against Worksop More...

YOU CAN'T KEEP A GOOD MAN DOWN -
They say you can't keep a good man down... Matlock striker Ross Hannah has certainly proved the point this last week. More...

NEW STAND IN ACTION AT MATLOCK -
It's taken 10 years and a mammoth fundraising effort - but Matlock Town Football Club's new 300-seater stand is now providing a welcome home for supporters. More...

MATLOCK GAFFER BLASTS REFEREE -
Matlock boss Mark Atkins laid the blame for his side's second defeat of the season firmly at the door of Mansfield referee Mark Jones. More...

WILL HISTORY REPEAT ITSELF? -
Matlock will travel to the Bill Stokeld Stadium hoping history repeats itself this weekend as they take on Evo Stik League first Divison South Carlton Town in the 2nd Qualifying Round of the FA Cup. More...

TOP OF THE LEAGUE - Two wins in forty-eight hours placed Matlock Town on top of the league as they embark on their latest FA Cup adventure on Saturday at home to fellow Evo-Stik Premiership side Worksop Town. More...

NO EXCUSES -
Matlock boss Mark Atkins offered no excuses after a disappointing Bank Holiday return of just one point out of six. More...

MORE TO COME -
"I feel there's more to come from us." declared Matlock boss Mark Atkins after his side strengthened their Evo Stik League Premier Division campaign with a 3-0 win against Burcough. More...

RARING TO GO -
"The lads are raring to go" was the message from Matlock Town boss Mark Atkins after a long pre season programme of seven weeks and nine matches. More...

Related Links

Matlock Town Website