Ahead of their National League return this weekend, Scunthorpe boss Andy Butler has urged patience and realism as the club navigates the significant step up in competition.
After the joy of last season’s promotion, secured through a dramatic playoff final victory over Chester, the manager has spent the summer reinforcing his squad for the tougher challenge ahead.
Speaking ahead of this weekend’s opener against Tamworth, Butler reflected on a whirlwind first full season in management and laid out his blueprint for the campaign.
“The main aim was promotion, so I suppose it went really well,” Butler told BBC Radio Humberside.
“I learned a lot. I learned a lot about myself, learned a lot about others, and learned that I’ve got to have good staff and a good family around me all the time.”
That successful campaign, which saw The Iron re-establish a winning mentality at Glanford Park, was a steep learning curve. The manager emphasised the importance of staying grounded, a philosophy he intends to carry into the new season.
“You don’t get too carried away when things don’t go well, and when things do go well, you don’t get carried away”, he explained. “It’s been a positive year of learning. You can’t buy experience, so for me, it was a great first season.”
Setting Realistic Expectations
Despite the momentum of promotion, Butler is keen to manage expectations and stressed that the club’s primary goal is to consolidate its position before aiming higher.
“There’s got to be a realisation that we’ve only just jumped into this league,” Butler stated frankly.
“There are some big teams in this division. Even though Scunthorpe United is a massive badge, we’re building. If it takes a few years, it takes a few years.”
To that end, he has set a clear initial benchmark for his side.
“Let’s get to the 50-point mark first, and then we’ll discuss that,” he declared. “However that may be, it could be in the first how many games, it could be the 21st game of the season. Let’s get there and see where we are.”
Ambition Tempered with Realism
However, this call for pragmatism should not be mistaken for a lack of ambition. Butler was quick to assert that his team will be set up to compete in every single match, driven by a desire to continue the club’s upward trajectory.
“That’s not to say that I don’t want to win every game. I think we can challenge any team in this division,” he insisted. “But that’s not me being unrealistic. I’m realistic, and I think that we’ve got an excellent squad put together.”
This balanced approach – ambitious in preparation but realistic in expectation – is the tightrope Butler believes Scunthorpe must walk to succeed.
“Don’t put too much expectation and too much pressure on the players, because we all want to do well,” he added. “If we encourage them like we did last year and drive each other on, then who knows what can happen.”
Focused on the Job
With his own contract expiring at the end of the season, the manager remains unflustered about his personal situation, reiterating that his entire focus is on the team’s performance.
“I’m just taking it one game by one game, that’s all I can do,” he said. “I’ll keep working as hard as I possibly can, making sure the team’s prepared and then we go from there. Hopefully, they can see I’m doing a positive job.”
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