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Story courtesy of Andy Parker - Burton Mail
Big Steve Astley spent two seasons making the short trip from his home in Bilston to Oldbury United�s Cricketts Ground to pursue his dream of winning a Banks�s League championship medal.
This season, though, it�s a different story for the soccer-mad carpenter who has the boots to fit any position on the park bar goalkeeper.Having thrown in his lot with last season�s runners-up, the 28-year-old Astley, who on Tuesday inflicted maximum damage on his old team mates by scoring in new club Gresley�s 2-1 away win, reckons a move to pastures new could take him that vital one place higher in the final table this term.
�I think we�re definitely going to be up there this time,� predicts Astley, who has turned out at centre half, in midfield and up front in just a handful of appearances for his new club.
�We�ve got real strength in depth at Gresley and we�re all confident that we can lift the title this season.�
Astley admits that it was a wrench to leave United but says: �It�s a very similar set-up at Gresley. Oldbury is a tremendous club, but they look after you equally well at the Moat Ground and the people here are tremendous. It�s a bit of a jaunt for me and a long way to go for training, which isn�t my favourite way of passing the time, but I�ll survive � it�s not too bad.�
The former Harrisons, Wolverhampton United and Smethwick Highfield campaigner rates his former Oldbury colleagues and tomorrow�s visitors Halesowen Harriers as the greatest threat to Rovers� title aspirations and admits: �Halesowen will make it tough for us.�
But after finishing so close last time, Astley will not be satisfied with second place this time around.
