To bring you up to date I am currently helping out at Chester City, working alongside Manager Simon Davies. I started on Tuesday and I have to admit it was great to be back out there.

I have really enjoyed training at Bradford City but to be out there coaching again was great. Simon rang me and asked if I was interested in going in to help out and I was delighted to because I will always help an old friend out.

I am going in initially for a few weeks, unpaid, because the priority is not me it’s about helping Chester. They haven’t had the best of starts but after seeing the players in training I have every confidence that the results will come.

After doing all my coaching badges it has been great to have the opportunity to coach again and get some hands on experience, which is something I have been looking for.

Simon is a young manager and I have been really impressed by his attitude, approach and his desire to succeed. He has a lot to offer and we have a lot of similar ideas and hopefully we can have a long lasting working relationship.

We know we are in a results orientated business but having seen the team perform against Wycombe, despite the result, there were a lot of positives which both the manager and players have taken from the game and we need to take them into Saturday’s trip to Rotherham.

Related categories: Wayne Allison

It’s been a strange summer, we’re now into August and I’m not at a club, which is weird.

After 21 seasons as a professional footballer this summer has been a bit different. While most players were enjoying a holiday in the sun I worked through most of June on various courses and since then I have been keeping myself fit and hoping something comes up, while also spending as much time as possible at University putting some work into my PhD.

Since I left Chesterfield I have turned my attentions to coaching which is hopefully my future. I already have my UEFA ‘A’ and ‘B’ licenses but this summer I have also finished my Certificate in Applied Management and started my Pro Licence, so things have been pretty busy but I have to admit, while most players hate pre season, I am really missing it.

When I took the decision to leave Chesterfield in February, it was easy to accept I wouldn’t be playing because of the transfer window but now it’s got to July and I am not affiliated with a club it has been hard to take especially after all these years in the game.

I have spent the last few days training at Bradford which has been excellent and I want to thank Stuart McCall for letting me go in to keep my fitness levels up. It has been great back playing again and I am still confident that I have something to offer and if someone said ‘come and play for a year’ or anything like that then I would be very very interested.

There are some days when you go out for runs in the wind and the rain but that is part and parcel, I am used to being outside so you have to deal with the elements but if you want to carry on playing you have to have some sort of dedication and if the attitude’s right then there is no problem carrying on. My attitude and dedication have never been in question throughout my career, I have always put the time and effort in and I will probably continue to do it even when the playing days are definitely over.

I do think I have got another year in me, at some level, because I don’t really want to be playing on too far beyond 40. Even though I may still be ok I don’t think that would be right for me, the body probably wouldn’t be able to take it but another year would be good before I decide that I want to give up.

Related categories: Wayne Allison