AS he prepares to take his Warrington Town side into the play-offs, Paul Carden admits this week will be the biggest of his managerial career.

Following the final game of the regular season at Stourbridge on Saturday, kick off 3pm, Yellows face an Evo-Stik Premier Division play-off semi-final on Tuesday night.

Their opponents will be determined after Saturday’s games but will be either Ashton United, Grantham Town, Farsley Celtic or Shaw Lane.

Should they win on Tuesday, they will face the winner of the other semi-final next Saturday, May 5, for a place in the National League North.

Carden says his players must approach their make-or-break week with belief and has called upon them to enjoy the experience.

“When you stand back and look at it, it will be the biggest week of my managerial career,” he told the Guardian.

“When I took over at Southport, we had tough games and needed to get a certain amount of points to stay up, which we did.

“In terms of achievement, and where we want to get to as a club, this is as big as it’s been for me.

“There’s no fear in the squad. We’ve played four games against the team that has won the league and we haven’t lost.

“Altrincham know we’re a good side and so does everyone else in the league. The lads know it too.

“When they believe in themselves, they are more than a match for anybody. We’ve proved it over the season.

“We’ll look to attack, play the way we can and enjoy it.

“There’s no point being tense, anxious and reluctant to express yourself in games like this because it doesn’t bring the best out of you.

“We have to enjoy it. If they don’t enjoy playing football now, they are never going to.”

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Before then, Town have Saturday’s trip to mid-table Stourbridge to negotiate and Carden’s squad is looking threadbare.

Alongside long-term absentees Jay McCarten (ankle), Tony Gray (knee) and Dylan Vassallo (groin), the Yellows boss will be without full-backs Rory McKeown (suspension) and Adam Carden (hamstring).

Carden says his younger brother should be fit for Tuesday’s play-off game but insists they will go with as strong a side as possible against the Glassboys.

While Stourbridge have nothing except their final league position to play for, Town require a point to be assured of finishing second.

Ending the season in the runners-up spot means that, should they win Tuesday’s semi-final, the final would also be played at their Cantilever Park home.

“We have to finish the league campaign strong to go into the play-offs. We won’t be taking anything lightly,” Carden said.

“If we had already guaranteed second place, things might have been different.

“The fact we haven’t and that we still need a result means we will be putting a team out that will be strong.

“Numbers wise, we are really low and I’m gutted about it because with the players that are missing, it shows how well the rest of the lads have done.

“We have to be positive, we’ve had injuries throughout the season but its part and parcel of football.

“We have to keep going, be relentless and fully focused.”