When I was at Luton I used to have occasional dealings with a guy called Jon Taylor, he was a director at a local non-league club, we used to speak quite a lot about young lads they were looking to take on there and any players I had who would benefit from going out there for a bit of experience.
Not long after I left he rang me and I told him I was keen to get back in anyway I could as soon as possible, it didn’t necessary have to be as a youth team manager or coach, just anything to do with football – that was what I wanted to do. I was as interested in managing in the non-league as anything else and he told me about a club with a new stadium who were looking for a new manager – it was St. Neots Town. I told him I was certainly interested in hearing more about the post and he arranged for me to have a meeting with the chairman, Bob Bridges. After a few minutes with Bob I didn’t need much more convincing, the facilities they had were better than some conference clubs; a week later they offered me the job.
I was glad to take at the end of last season and get a few games under my belt at that level so I could see what the standard of the league was all about – it made my work in the summer a lot easier. I knew the sort of players I needed to find to improve what I had inherited it was the learning curve that I needed.
A few players left in the summer, a few that I didn’t want to keep on and I brought in the ones that I did. I assembled a young squad compared to the rest of the division but from my background I knew it was the way to go – against the grain, I’ve been told it won’t work but I believe it will.
We had a good pre-season, the young lads took everything on board I asked of them; they’ve passed the ball and are fit and strong. I am pleased with the way that they have gone about things, they have done everything I have asked of them. They always give me 100% and do their best, with a little guidance and the right instructions they will come out with the right results, nine times out of ten and who knows, at this stage, what they are capable of achieving.
