MANY will be aware that Saturday's Nationwide North game at Droylsden is five years to the day that I took charge of my first match at Worcester City.

I don't know whether it feels like I've been here for 50 minutes or 50 years -- it has felt like both at times.

But never in my wildest dreams did I think that it would be so tough.

I don't want to talk too much about it, but I would say the squad I have now is the strongest I've ever had during my time here.

We have slowly built up the squad and there has been progress made every year.

This season has been the biggest step of all because of the level of competition. We are in with the best of the rest and it will be a real bonus if we can show something for it at the end.

What I want right now is for us to keep progressing and to maintain our recent form at Droylsden. We have been going along quite nicely and it was important to keep on winning, which we did against Chippenham in the FA Trophy.

It was a solid enough performance, the first goal was critical and once we got that the result was never in doubt.

We were pleased to win the game, pleased to score three goals and pleased to keep a clean sheet. Those were the positive to take out of the game.

The application of the players has been first-class in the past month, as it always has been. We want to do the job well and the lads have always strived to do that.

Two players that have really come on leaps and bounds are Nick Colley and Tom Warmer, both are doing really well and I think supporters have noticed that.

Little Tom has come in and freshened us up. He's not the biggest lad in the world, but performance-wise he has led by example.

He has not really settled down anywhere. Geoff Ashby and Graham Selby deserve pats on the back for spotting Tom. They got hold of him when he was released by West Brom and continually pushed him towards me.

He's a great lad and he has a good understanding of the game. He's got quick feet, tidy control and everybody has seen for themselves his attitude on the pitch.

He goes out there with plenty of enthusiasm. I think that's something you should not really ask for in footballers but he gives us that because he's young and determined.

I think Nick has been outstanding during the last few weeks.

His confidence has hit new levels and his performances, as a result, have come with that. I am really pleased for Nick, he's more than an honest character who just wants to do well.

I keep saying to him there's a long way to go to where he wants to be.

Perhaps the progress to get there is slow and laborious, but in the end it will hopefully see him back to his consistent best -- playing as well as he did during his best spell at Tamworth.