REDDITCH United boss Matt Clarke says changes are needed after avoiding relegation thanks to a winning end to the season.
Cyrus Babaie scored twice, with Dexter Dudley-Toole and Ryan Boothe also netting in a 4-0 victory over Hitchin Town in front of almost 600 fans.
Redditch recovered from seeing an early Boothe penalty saved to win comfortably.
Barwell could have overtaken them, but the Leicestershire side were beaten 7-1 at home by Spalding.
All of which left Clarke with a feeling of relief – and definitely not celebration.
1-0 to Redditch. Cyrus Babaie scores a crucial goal in the race for survival!!!! pic.twitter.com/OXmI5AbsmQ
— Jack Underwood (@jackkunderwood) April 26, 2025
He told the club’s official YouTube channel: “There’s been a lot of pressure, a big cloud over us. I’ve taken a lot of criticism, but I’m a fighter and I’ve got broad shoulders, thick skin, and I needed it.
“We’ve probably deserved it, because the results state that we haven’t been good enough.
“But what we worked really hard on Thursday, and we came here with a plan that we implemented.
“I thought the boys were outstanding from the first minute, you know, we missed a penalty in the after maybe four or five minutes. And it could’ve been a negative, but we remained positive and scored just after that.
“But I think the biggest thing was the lift we got from the fans, who’ve had a real tough time and been critical of us. They were really behind us, which we asked for, and that really helped us.
Thank you for your support, we got through it ❤️ pic.twitter.com/sl8Tz5bpAZ
— Redditch United (@RedditchUtd) April 26, 2025
“The attitudes and the application and the desire from the players was outstanding, and it’s been tough for them. They’ve taken criticism as well. We’ve not been good enough as a group.
“But what this does now, it gives us that time, that chance to reset and sit down with the chairman to see where we go from there.
“As a manager, you’re planning ahead probably three or four weeks before the end of the season, because of the circumstances and the position that we’ve been in, we’ve not been able to do that.
“So we’ll make a plan, but we can’t be in this position again. The club doesn’t want that, and I don’t want that. There’s going to be a change. There’s got to be a change, so recruitment is really important for us as we move forward.”
