Gateshead can't settle for only targeting National League survival - insists midfielder Fenton John

Midfielder Fenton John has warned Gateshead they can not just settle for aiming to remain in the National League this season - and insisted going into the campaign with such a mindset would be ‘weak’.

The Heed produced a stunning escape from relegation during the second half of last season under former manager Rob Elliot - but the former Newcastle United and Republic of Ireland goalkeeper has since moved on to league rivals Carlisle United. Former Sunderland midfielder Lee Cattermole was named as his successor earlier this summer and he has worked hard to prepare his squad for the first competitive fixture of his reign as his side make the long trip to Eastleigh on the opening day of the campaign on Saturday.

It has been a positive few days for the Heed after the registration ban imposed on them by FIFA was lifted earlier this week - and that was followed by the signing of former Hull City and Boston United midfielder Rocco Coyle on Thursday and a versatile forward will also be added to Cattermole’s squad once clearance is received. Whether that comes before Saturday’s trip to the south coast remains to be seen - but there was a positive mood surrounding Cattermole and his squad as they prepared for face the Spitfires with a training session at the International Stadium on Thursday.

Some have states the Heed could be in for another tough season battling the preserve their National League status as they go head-to-head with a whole host of high-profile clubs with sizeable budgets once again. There have been some that have suggested avoiding relegation should be the primary aim for the campaign - but former Middlesbrough midfielder John has stressed he and his team-mates can not afford to have such a ‘weak’ mindset going into the season.

He told The Echo: “I would never have the mindset of just staying in the division because if you go in with that mindset, it’s a bit weak and it’s not something you want to be in as a player. You want to be pushing for an exciting season, pushing play-offs, all that sort of stuff. That staying in the division stuff, none of us have even spoken about it with the staff. It’s not something we are looking at, we are looking at thriving and being competitive.”

Control

John revealed the Heed squad were unaffected by off-field events throughout the summer with change in the boardroom and dugout and the registration ban imposed on the club by world football’s governing body - and explained both they and the coaching staff have just remained fully focused on the long season ahead.

He said: “There is no point in stressing because the stuff away from the pitch is out of your hands. We know we can control the stuff on the pitch and that’s why we are calm. When we are on the pitch, we know we are in control and that’s the way we are approaching the season. We have good staff behind us and they are the same.”

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