IF John Coleman has his way, no one will say "Accrington Stanley! Who are they?" again.

The town's original team may have been founder members of the Football League, but for most people the name means only one thing.

"Ian Rush said if I don't drink lots of milk I'll only be good enough to play for Accrington Stanley." "Accrington Stanley! Who are they?" "Exactly!"

At the time that advert for milk was on our TV screens in the late 1980s, Accrington were in the Northern Premier League, the original Stanley having folded in 1966.

Coleman, however, is on a mission to put Accrington back on the football map for the right reasons.

The manager has led them to three promotions, including a return to the Football League in 2006.

Having finished fifteenth last season, his next goal is to take them up from Npower League Two.

It is that desire to improve that has made Coleman, 47, the third longest serving manager in the Football League, behind Sir Alex Ferguson, of Manchester United, and Arsene Wenger, of Arsenal.

He has been in charge for ten years 339 days. Of the 13 managers leading sides at the Joma 2010 South West Challenge Cup, only Sean Joyce of Bideford, who was appointed in September 1998, has served longer.

Coleman, who took over in August 1999, said: "I'm starting my twelfth season in charge and the club means the world to me.

"What's the secret? We have always improved, season on season, which is difficult for anyone to do.

"My assistant, Jimmy Bell, has been with me for that long too and the fans appreciate that we are doing our best under extremely difficult circumstances.

"We've had three promotions in eleven seasons and to get the team into the Football League was a great achievement in itself.

"Fifteenth didn't do us justice last season. People say the league table doesn't lie, but if you interviewed the other 23 managers, they would agree that we were one of the top ten teams in the league.

"We are typical underdogs. If anyone wants to compare chalk and cheese in football teams, they say Manchester United and Accrington Stanley.

"But we gave Fulham a good run for their money in the FA Cup last season (before losing 3-1) and people are taking us seriously as a League Two side now."

Coleman wants Accrington to be in League One within three seasons. An attempt to push up towards the play-off places this term will begin with a trip to North Devon for Joma 2010.

They start on Tuesday night against Blackpool at the Vicarage Field in Torrington — a far cry from Soccer City in Johannesburg, where Coleman watched the World Cup final on Sunday.

"It should be a good experience, a chance to get the squad together and play a couple of games," said Coleman, whose side will also meet Bideford at the Sports Ground on Wednesday.

"It will be about fitness and a chance for the new lads who have come in to integrate with the players already there on a daily basis.

"Gone are the days where you have a social event with the lads bonding. We like to do it in a professional setting now and the players like to do it that way themselves.

"And it always helps to have competitive games. Anyone who knows me knows I am very competitive.

"Pre-season is all about getting prepared for the start of the season, but you can't go into games accepting defeat. You have to go into every game trying to get things right."

● Ian Evatt is hoping Blackpool's promotion-winning form will continue through Joma 2010 and into their first Barclays Premier League campaign.

Under Ian Holloway, Blackpool started last season in the South West Challenge Cup and went on to win promotion in the Championship play-off final.

Defender Evatt said: "We're full of belief. The gaffer instils that in us and I'm sure he'll do that again during pre-season and we'll be ready come the first game.

"A lot of people say it's not about the winning in pre-season, it's about the performance and fitness levels, but we want to carry on this good run we're on and we'll do that."