Bell keeps Stanley stars grounded

Last updated : 22 January 2010 By Team Talk

It has been 51 years since Accrington last made it through to the last 32, losing 4-1 against Portsmouth on January 28, 1959 - just four years before the club were forced to fold.

Faced with a £30,000 tax bill, the club's board suggested to the Football Association that they should drop out of the league and the defeated Reds did just that in 1962 before folding a year later.

However, in 1968 Accrington Stanley were formed and following a meteoric rise through the Lancashire Leagues and Football Conference they secured their place back in the Football League following a 1-0 victory at Woking at the end of the 2005-06 season.

Bell believes that battling mentality still exists and is confident they will be no walkover in front of what is expected to be a full capacity crowd at the Crown Ground.

Bell said: "The lads were fantastic on Tuesday, they did everything we asked them to do and got what they deserved.

"We're a bit disappointed that it's not going to be shown on the TV but we are looking forward to it."

The Reds' precarious financial situation has taken precedence over footballing matters this season, with the club having faced two winding-up orders and a transfer embargo which has seen only 20 professionals sign on for the current campaign.

But under John Coleman, who is now the third longest serving league manager behind Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger, Stanley sit just outside the League Two play-offs positions with three games in hand on many of the teams surrounding them.

Bell added: "We are going into our 11th year at the club but to myself and John (Coleman) it's just another game. We will prepare in exactly the same way as we would for any league game and keep the lads' feet firmly on the ground.

"Making the play-offs is still our key aim, we know due to our financial difficulty that anything we can do in the FA Cup is a bonus. Although we are very proud to get Accrington to the fourth round for the first time in our recent history.

"But it doesn't matter if it's Matlock Town or Fulham, although there is added spice with this one, the key thing for us is to try to do ourselves and the football proud and get a result."

Source: Team Talk

Source: Team Talk