John Coleman believes the squad he currently has at Accrington Stanley is the strongest he has had in his 15 years as boss at the club.

The Reds manager admitted it was a tricky choice with impressive squads in 2005/6 season when Stanley won the Conference and 2010/11 when the Reds reached the League Two play-offs.

Stanley currently sit in sixth place in League Two with games in hand on the teams above them.

“I would say it’s probably the strongest squad I have had,” said Coleman. “I had a cracking squad when we won the Conference and another cracking squad when we got into the play offs.

“But going off the way this team is playing, they just offer something different. They are so dynamic in the way they play, their work rate is fantastic and I would hate to detract anything from the Conference and play-off teams because the players in those teams know how much I respect and love them but this team are taking it to a new level, if I am honest.

“It hasn’t all been plain sailing this season but you can count on one hand the number of times we have let ourselves down and if that continues to stay on one hand then we have a great chance of promotion.”

Coleman believes it may take an exceptional points tally to secure a place in the top three this season.

“We are half way through now and have 42 points. If we replicate that in second half of the season, you would be devastated not to go up but  you could well replicate that and still not get promoted and that’s why every point is crucial.

“I think it could take a special points tally to get automatic promotion, the highest it has been. Bury got 85 points last season and it might take that or more this time around.”