By John May

Coleman can write himself into Accrington's history books

Coleman can re-script one of the game's more grim episodes into the sort of tale the Brothers Grimm might have penned by restoring Accrington Stanley's Football League status.

A town's heart was broken when the famous old club dropped out of the Football League in 1962.

And after several Doctor Who-style reincarnations to stay alive, Stanley are just one step away from a return that is all the more poignant and romantic for its unlikely nature.

Coleman said: "It would be a fairy story for people around here. A lot of people can remember the team going out of the League in 1962, which was a year after I was born.

"Not only that, I think a lot of people have a soft spot for Accrington throughout the country. I think we are a well-known team.

"I think us returning to the Football League would be good for football, a real romantic story."

Peel Park harbours ghosts of Accrington's past

These are early days but Accrington have made the sort of start that Coleman thinks can propel them into the promotion shake-up.

"Our realistic aim is to make the play-offs. We would love to win the league but we want to make the play-offs as a minimum.

"I think we have a squad that is good enough and I think we should have done it last year.

"We probably under-achieved last year so hopefully we will do it this year.

"We have made a decent start, although we are probably a point off where we would like to be as we're aiming to average two points a game."

Coleman believes Stanley's chances are enhanced by their full-time professional status.

Considering that Stanley lost their Football League status initially on the back of their financial woes, it required a bungee-jumper's faith on the part of the current board to make the leap.

Coleman says: "If you are seriously going to challenge in this league you have to make the leap to go full-time. Sometimes you have to take a chance.

"It is tough for teams who are part-time to challenge. Aldershot made the play-offs a couple of seasons ago when they were part-time and we finished quite high when we were part-time.

"My personal view of the Conference is that I do not think the top teams have got any better - but the teams you might have expected to struggle have improved no end.

"Going full-time is not just about players wanting more money but you have to pay them for 52 weeks of the year, instead of 36 weeks.

Accrington fans have kept the faith

"But taking the financial aspect out of it, the big plus for me is the fact that not only can we work on more things with the players but that they get a rest.

"When you are part-time and you have got lads going to work and then going to play a midweek game against a team who have had their feet up all day, they are going to have an advantage.

"By going full-time, you eliminate that advantage. This league is physically demanding and that is what gives players who go full-time the edge."

If Accrington do regain their league status it will be a coup for Coleman and kudos for the club.

But Coleman knows who the club's restoration would mean the most to.

He revealed: "A couple of years ago when we got promoted into the Conference, we were out training and a 90-year-old chap came up to me and said it was the best day of his life when we won the Northern League and got into the Conference.

"That was from somebody who was 90 and had followed the team through thick and thin.

"It was a nice feeling and some of the lads who have been here a while can empathise with that.