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| Andy Williams, left, with former boss Paul Caddis, centre |
Andy Williams believes former Hereford manager Paul Caddis became “a bit of a scapegoat” before his departure – but says Aaron Downes has brought a “breath of fresh air” to Edgar Street.
The veteran striker admitted the mood around the club had become difficult during a poor run of form earlier in the season, with Caddis leaving the Bulls' 23rd in National League North, nine points from safety and just four points above bottom side Leamington.
“It was a real tricky spell we were in,” Williams said after Saturday's 3-2 win at Worksop Town, a result which leaves the Bulls three points from safety with up to seven games in hand. “Unfortunately for Paul, I think he was made a bit of a scapegoat in it.
"I don't think it was all down to him, but it was a real tough place to be in and I think you could see by the way I was behaving in some games, I was getting frustrated with everyone and it was a real tricky period that we were going through.
"I think we probably just needed that something to freshen it up and bring a new lease of life and hopefully get everyone back on side, which is what's happened now - it's really helped galvanise the place."
Since stepping in, Downes has overseen a strong response from the Bulls and they've won three and drawn one of his five games in charge.
The players have also praised the energy and preparation the new boss has brought.
Williams said the former defender has been leaving no stone unturned despite a packed fixture schedule.
“His work ethic’s incredible and I think that's sort of reflected with the way we are on the pitch," he said.
"He's worked really hard. We're doing a lot more.
“We’re doing Zoom calls on Friday nights and Monday evenings when we can because obviously with the crazy amount of games we got in short space of time, there's limited stuff that we can do, especially on the training field.
"He's maximising everything he can to make sure we're all equipped for the game and obviously trusting us to look after our bodies as best we can."
He added: "It's been a breath of fresh air, to be fair. It's been a real pleasure so far and hopefully we can continue that."
The striker also pointed to the impact of several new arrivals in recent weeks.
“He’s brought in some real quality,” Williams added. “They’re not just young players – they’re good players.
"How some of them aren't playing at a team like Cheltenham, I don't know, because for this level, they've been brilliant for us so far.
"It’s just freshened the place up a little bit.”
Williams believes the change in atmosphere has also been noticeable among supporters.
“You can see the strength of one or two thousand positive fans compared to one or two thousand negative fans,” he said.
“It’s really helping us now."