BEN Shirley is optimistic his eventual successor will be able to help Askam United win promotion after announcing his decision to step down as manager at the end of this season.

Shirley returned to Duddon Road in December 2015, having steered the club to the West Lancashire League Division Two title in 2014 during his first spell in charge.

And, after helping them secure their place in Division One last year, he leaves Askam with the team well-placed for a top-half finish and, he hopes, a good platform for the next manager to build on.

“It just feels like the time is right for me to step down,” said Shirley. “There are some really good coaches in the area and hopefully one of them can come in and take the club to the next level.

“If I was staying on, which is something I’ve thought long and hard about, I would be setting our stall out to get promotion in the next couple of season.

“We’ve seen glimpses of that from the squad this season, but in my opinion we’re just missing three or four players in key areas which hopefully a new manager could possibly bring in with them. Then I think we’d be in a really good position to challenge for promotion to the Premier Division.”

Not only have Askam performed strongly in the league this season, but they have the chance to give Shirley the perfect send-off with some silverware after reaching the last four of the Furness Senior Cup. They face the winner of the postponed quarter-final between Swarthmoor Social and Dalton United reserves in the last four.

But while the Askam boss is hopeful of reaching the final, he knows they face a tricky path both to get there and then lift the trophy.

“That would be in an ideal world, but things never go according to that,” said Shirley. “We’re under no illusions; we’ll play either Swarthmoor or Dalton in the semi-finals and that won’t be easy, then it’s either Millom or (Barrow) Celtic.

“So it’s not an easy route to the final and if we’re lucky enough to get there then it will be a really challenging opponent. We’re going to have to earn it to win it – nothing with come for free, that’s for sure.”

Before then, Askam have a Division One derby clash away to Hawcoat Park tomorrow, with United aiming to rebound from their 2-0 loss away to GSK Ulverston Rangers last Saturday.

Both Hawcoat and Askam are locked on 34 points – Hawcoat sitting above them in sixth thanks to a slightly superior goal difference – and Shirley believes his side are the underdogs heading into the match.

“I think, in terms of where the two teams are at at the moment, they are a better side,” said Shirley. “They’ve got a little bit more quality than us in key areas, but in a derby you never know.

“They are probably favourites, but we’ve got a game-plan and if we execute that then we should come out with something.

“We need to get back to winning ways. We’ve got Hawcoat tomorrow, then a break, then Stoneclough, a semi-final to contest, Hurst Green at home and hopefully a final, so we need to get back into the habit of winning.”

Elsewhere in Division One, Ulverston go looking for their third win of the season when they travel to Lytham Town and Dalton are at home to CMB. In the Premier Division, Vickerstown welcome fourth-placed Euxton Villa.

The day’s Division Two action sees Furness Cavaliers and Furness Rovers at home to the reserve teams of Coppull United and Euxton respectively, while Walney Island and Swarthmoor go head-to-head.

The pick of tomorrow’s action in the Furness Premier League is the second-versus-third clash between Barrow Celtic and Kirkby United in the Premier Division.

Brian Dawson’s Holker host St Helens Town in North West Counties Division One looking to build on their midweek 2-2 draw at Carlisle City, a game in which Dave Swarbrick scored twice, including a late equaliaser.