NEEDHAM Market have put their confidence in the new managerial team of Danny Laws and Chris Tracey taking them to new heights.They have both signed contracts this week tying them to the Ridgeons League club until the end of the 2007/08 season.

By Elvin King

NEEDHAM Market have put their confidence in the new managerial team of Danny Laws and Chris Tracey taking them to new heights.

They have both signed contracts this week tying them to the Ridgeons League club until the end of the 2007/08 season.

“We now have nearly two seasons in which to build,” said Laws. “When I arrived in the summer we had no players and the only way to tie newcomers down was to put them under contract.

“One or two asked if Chris and I were going to commit ourselves as well. And it is only right that we did.

“Players like Mark Bailey left behind clubs they had been with for some while to join Needham. We owed it to the players to show our commitment.”

A top three position in the Premier Division and a win over Ryman League AFC Sudbury to earn a home Suffolk Premier Cup match against Ipswich Town see Needham in a healthy position right now.

There were fears that the departure of former manager Mark Morsley to Sudbury might lead to a dip in fortunes particularly as every player bar Andy Jones departed during the close season.

But thanks to the wise appointment of Laws and Tracey, Needham have remained buoyant.

The Laws/Tracey partnership has worked well with Laws saying: “Chris is a role model to all non-league players.

“He has the respect of everyone at the club and is still a strong player. We talked frankly after our appointment and have a good working arrangement.”

Laws is delighted with the response of the Needham public to the efforts being made this campaign.

He added: “It has been very pleasing and a real bonus. We had nearly 300 fans on Tuesday in our 1-0 win over Sudbury and in the second period it was our supporters who were making most noise.”

Delighted Needham chairman David Bugg said: “Having Danny and Chris under contract will bring stability to the club and who knows how far this team can go particularly after our excellent start to the season.”

Tracey is also upbeat, and he said: “Hopefully this is just the start of taking the club forward. This club has a great potential to reach higher levels, I am really looking forward to the challenge ahead.”

The rest of the first team backroom staff is now complete, with Kevin O'Donnell in charge of team logistics, Alan Johnson club coach and scout, Matty Fenn goalkeeping coach and Jim Darrah physiotherapist.

DANNY Laws has every reason to look forward to his Needham Market side entertaining Ipswich Town next month in the quarter-final of the Club Colours Suffolk Premier Cup.

He expects to meet up with defender Ian Miller, who he first signed as a 15-year-old.

Miller, now 22, has recently signed full time forms with Town and been named captain of the reserve team. He has been in the squad for the last two first team matches.

“Ian is a great lad and deserves to succeed,” said joint Needham manager Laws.

“Ian was made captain and went on to play for Bury Town, and it will be great to meet up with him again.

“And also Ipswich coach Steve Foley, who made me feel so welcome when I went to work for Norwich City last season.”