Update: ‘We should be nowhere near this’ – the underdog football club chasing history News

Forget Manchester City and Man United, one of the biggest success stories this season could be taking place elsewhere in Manchester

Curzon Ashton shouldn’t really be in this conversation. They are a part-time club seeking to bloody the noses of the big boys.

This is a team that plenty in Greater Manchester would struggle to tell you much about despite the club playing at a £4million stadium and challenging for promotion to the National League.

The Nash attract crowds of only a few hundred but make no mistake this is a club on the up, seeking to improve on and off the pitch. There’s a thriving junior section, an increased focus on getting out into the community and a desire to earn promotion from the National League North.

With three games to go, Curzon are one place and point off a play-off spot. Three wins, starting against Alfreton on Good Friday, will likely see them secure their berth. Then the door opens to promotion, to the possibilities of playing more established neighbours such as Rochdale and Oldham, to competing with former Football League sides like York City, Hartlepool and Southend.

That is getting ahead of ourselves. But if this part time club with one of the lowest budgets in the division could earn an historic promotion ahead of full-time sides with considerable comparative cash to spend it would represent something of a football miracle.

“If you look from the outside in, we should be nowhere near the play-offs,” says Curzon boss Craig Mahon, speaking to the Manchester Evening News over a brew in their small and quaint boardroom.

“There is full time teams, hybrid teams and teams with a much bigger budget than ours. What we are doing is fantastic, we have three games left and are still in with a chance of the play-offs.

“But inside the club we want to be a little bit further on than we are now. We have been a bit inconsistent since Christmas.

“The lads have done really well but this time of the year, they just look tired! And that is where the full time element comes in, our lads are working, training and playing so recovery is next to nothing. Full time teams might finish at 1pm or 2pm, relax, have a day off. On our days off the lads are working.”

Curzon are battling the likes of Scunthorpe, Kidderminster, and Chester – all have played in the Football League in recent years, all have bigger budgets and all are full time. Curzon, meanwhile, are ploughing fresh ground.

“We are on 72 points,” explains Mahon. “The highest ever Curzon has got is 75, so we have a chance to make history. We got 73 last season (and finished seventh, losing on penalties to Chorley in the play-offs) and the fact that we have done 70+ points two seasons in a row is great but we want a little bit more.”

Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium is a couple of miles up the road from Curzon’s Tameside Stadium, opened by Sir Alex Ferguson in 2005. And while City’s players cite the long season and the impact on their body, here in the sixth tier, Mahon is seeking one last effort from his squad of job and football juggling players.

“Don’t have any what ifs, or coulds and shoulds,” he rallied.” If everyone has put everything on the line and left everything out there then that is all we can do.”

Curzon might be small, but they are hoping to make a big impression.