From Players to Managers - The New NLWFC ERA

In this episode I welcome Ant Plant and Ben Crowe to the pod. The gents have taken the reigns as joint player managers for the mens open age team following in huge footsteps.

We hear from Ben & Ant as to how they plan to take on the role and transition from players to player managers. This includes their style, non negotiables and lofty ambitions.

The excitement evident from both as well as a lot of fun in the quickfire questions round.

Come have a listen 

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:29

Hi, and welcome to the Newton Willows FC podcast with me, Rob Flooder. This week I'm delighted to welcome two new members of the management team at the Men's Open Age Group, Ant Plant and Ben Crow. Gents, how are you? Sounding good, how are you? Yeah, very good, very good. Welcome to the podcast. How's it feel? The first time on the pod, and you're being videoed at the same time. How's the nerves?

SPEAKER_01 0:54

Nervous.

SPEAKER_00 0:55

Through the roof. I am, mate. I'm two weeks with out of two meetings. So you can get up and play football. You can play football in front of loads of people in shorts and t-shirt rain. You sit in front of a speaker at sorry microphone and you start worrying about it. What's wrong, boys? These have gone.

SPEAKER_03 1:09

These aren't desktop. No, no media training there, mate. No media training. We're a bit raw now. We're not two times. No wares, no prompts here. That's how all the guests are.

SPEAKER_00 1:20

No, absolutely not, absolutely. And that's how it should be. So this is going to be raw, okay? Uh, and that will help with listeners and your teammates, all right? But the reason you're here, the main reason you're guests here is because some big news. You've decided to take on the management role, dual management role of the club, right?

SPEAKER_03 1:40

Yeah. Yeah, joint, yeah, joint player manager role. So how unwise? Come on.

SPEAKER_04 1:46

Might a bit not a bit more curious in fact.

SPEAKER_03 1:49

Where do we start? So it was last last year. About 12 months ago, wasn't it? Yeah, last year, obviously there was rumours that Faz was um knocking on stepping aside. I'd recently joined back the club after the time away. Um even though I played there for for years when I was older. Um and there was a bit of a rumour that he was he was gonna step down and stuff, and I know Plenty was already on the management team. I was like in coach, so there was a bit of a bit of a conversation back then, right? And then twelve months later, opportunity kind of was more confirmed, and yeah, we were kind of offered the job, we know.

SPEAKER_04 2:27

Yeah, we were you were buzzing a bit to me firm. Obviously, he opened it up to the group. I don't think anyone else wouldn't wanted to take it on, but it was daft off. But yeah, we've been happening up behind the scenes. Obviously, I was open, coaching from the start through injury, and then towards the back end I started playing, but I enjoyed the coaching, it was good. So looking forward to getting going happily this this year.

SPEAKER_03 2:51

Yeah, buzzing out of it.

SPEAKER_00 2:53

Well, first and foremost, look, congratulations and well done, Jim. I know we just had a bit of a giggle about taking it on, but you know, it's a it's a it's a decent role, and it's you know, when you started out playing on the on the field, however old age you were, I'm sure you won't think about coaching and then a joint role. And then you've got to follow in some footsteps, right? Because the the team have just won the league. How daunting is that?

SPEAKER_03 3:18

You know what? For me personally, I think that's that's actually a benefit. Because you're coming off a winning team, coming off a winning season, and um I know the Cheshire quite well. So I know what it's like in Div 2, know what it's like in Div 1, played a bit in the Prem. So I feel like the the core of the first team, anyway, is more incapable of challenging in Div 1. So coming off the back of a winning season, confidence going into it. I prefer that to be honest. I don't bother you.

SPEAKER_04 3:46

Yeah, I'm very looking forward to it. Uh don't want to be too confident. Yeah, up to now, we've not had any people saying that they're leaving, so it's the core glimpse staying the same. So great. Last season we played a good few teams in the league above, and it was right in the mix. It was right up there.

SPEAKER_03 4:02

The competitive aren't we had as as we were last season, so they and won the league, and we took them all the way to 90 minutes.

SPEAKER_04 4:07

We should obviously gonna beat the out. Yeah, we had a penalty in the last minute, this guy over the bar, but we were right in the mix, and up to the day we were in the top half, and we took them all the way than to penalty and didn't have it. And then the teams probably lower down the table comfortable at the top.

SPEAKER_03 4:22

We batter them in there. That's that's what with last season, isn't it? So pushing on from there, like we're confident we can definitely be challenging.

SPEAKER_00 4:29

And and being part of that dressing room as well. It's not like you're coming in from the outside. So, you know, you know the core, you understand the lads, you understand what went well last season, and maybe what didn't go so well because there'd have been ups and downs in a season, no matter what you do. So that must be a benefit to you, right?

SPEAKER_03 4:44

Yeah, yeah. I don't think it was. No, no, but it's it's obviously we dominated the league, I'd say. Like you can say it now, but the league was won by Christmas. I think it was like 10 or 12 on the bounce or something at wins going into like so we didn't have a spell where we didn't have a game in November, but like up until Christmas, I'm sure we were 12 or 12 or something like that. And then obviously the cup competitions were a bit disappointing, weren't they? A couple of like silly cup exits, and in reality, that team for me I should have at least won one cup as well last year. So, yeah, there's a bit there's a few disappointments, but obviously it took all of the league from like the way that we dominated it, and like and yeah, pissed it. I was gonna say, well I have to swear on this, yes. Absolutely, yeah. We pissed it in, yeah. No, there were four or five games to spare, and like that's that's something going though.

SPEAKER_04 5:30

It got a bit of you at one point, didn't it? When they had all in games to play, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 5:37

We lost a way to main node. If we keep going at this, would that even win the league? So we lost away to main node, and like there's a couple of teams like who are running a bit of a gum early, but we come for comfortable you.

SPEAKER_00 5:48

So just excuse me, you you're gonna take on the role from player to coaches, and I know you've done a bit of coaching yourself, mate, but surely at some point you're gonna come up with things where you're gonna look at each other, may not know the answer. Do you have any anybody you're gonna be able to tap back up? Maybe the the previous two got ways to go, listen, we need some help, yeah.

SPEAKER_04 6:09

Yeah, definitely. So then they're not fully stepping away from the club, they're just taking a backseat. So though, we're always gonna be there to speak to any advice as I know they both for what buzz as well, to be fair.

SPEAKER_03 6:20

No, they've been great, at least what far. Obviously, like the season's not even started yet. So I've actually seen it before to fill. But like, it's a bit of an odd one at the minute because like we don't know whether to go with this or go with that. And the minute I think we just want three seasons to start next Tuesday, and then I think we'll all be getting the bug again that and it will all be 40 mad again for like another 10 months. So yeah, Faz and they're gonna be a massive little bank now.

SPEAKER_00 6:43

Definitely, definitely, definitely. And what what about the feeling of those first team sheets or the first coaching sessions when it's actually you boys going, lads, come on, and that you know, that transition from being one of the lads to come on, you've got a bit of respect here.

SPEAKER_03 6:58

Well, to be fair, don't know if you know this, but and um I've coached a Sunday team for two years as a player manager, so I'm kinda coming into it used to it. Okay. Obviously, better level on a Saturday and stuff, obviously Saturday is your bread and butter, so looking forward to that. And that obviously that's why a joint suited me. Because I think if there's two of you, you're 50-50, you can support each other, obviously, there might be times when we're both playing, but there might be times when both not playing. Yeah, you know what I mean? It's gonna be like 50-50, or it's gonna be ups and downs of that, but yeah, I'm I'm I'm comfortable with that. I think it would be fine, but obviously, do we have to find it?

SPEAKER_04 7:33

Obviously, it's gonna be hard. It's gonna be problems at the start, and we need to get through them and speak together and obviously speak to Faz and what should we do here? Yeah, should we go this way or should we go that way? So they'll help us, nothing.

SPEAKER_03 7:44

It's gonna be a learning curve for us, if anything, because at the end of the day, mate, like they've gone up a league, standards coming up, and like the Session League's just getting stronger and stronger and stronger. Like, there was a couple of teams in the league would just come up where people were getting paid. And I know for a fact and they've won this and obviously the premier, so it's gonna be getting more competitive, standards gonna be at an eye, so we've just got to match them standards, aren't we?

SPEAKER_04 8:04

And obviously, they've introduced a new league this year, so more teams. Yeah, then them new teams that come in, you never know what they're gonna be like. You know what league they played in, what standard they're at. It's always a step in a step in year upon year.

SPEAKER_03 8:15

To be fair, the league that we're going into it's just I think it's 12, and like the other 11 are just like fully established, right? Like I know them, most of them. And uh obviously Newton aren't doing, we're probably like one of the new boys, especially in Div one, so but uh yeah, I think there'll be a few there, a bit big shock of us coming in. Yeah, especially now we're in charge.

SPEAKER_00 8:36

And just on that, how did the lads take it? The news? Did they did you consult them before, or was it a bit of a send and WhatsApp out? How did how did they take it?

SPEAKER_04 8:45

I think there was there was a few there's a few rumours knocking about a few people was. Yeah, everyone listening. Everyone listening to the pulls. They send me what you're doing next year, you're taking it on, are you not? Before they'd be in the house. I mean we just keep it on the download. Just button it off, just button it off because we didn't want to say anything without getting like a big message out saying that he's leaving and it was always going on behind the scenes, but we didn't want it getting out too early because we never know if they after a winning season. I said to him and said, You're pretty daft on fucking leaving, to be honest.

SPEAKER_01 9:14

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 9:14

I said, I thought you were the carry down.

SPEAKER_03 9:16

He was like, No, no, best off leading when you're winning. Like, obviously, because you weren't the start of last so this time last year, there was a couple of conversations with with me and B and obviously the committee and and Faz and that. So, like, with like this has not been maintained, we've been folks on winning the league, but there was a couple of combos, like we don't know what's happening next year. Like, do they want us doing it? Did they not? Like, what's Faz's thoughts and that? But we did just like concentrate on the footy dip thing and thought if it happens, it happens. And obviously, there was a couple of things that obviously we wanted to clarify with the club and that. And the club had been club have been great, like everything. Everything we could have wanted the club and like Faz and everyone just literally laid it out for us. So and that's how it had to be, because we're gonna be playing as well. When I say that, I mean like the support that we're gonna be getting and offers and stuff. Um it allows us really just to focus on the footy, and obviously playing ourselves up for up for we start to be part of our life.

SPEAKER_00 10:10

So it wasn't a sky sports yellow bar moment for the guys, you know, they they sort of knew it. I think so.

SPEAKER_04 10:15

There's a seating, isn't that?

SPEAKER_03 10:16

And it wasn't officially out there, so fill filled inside, do a little sky sports, little thing you had. A little BTEP one and so you're taking on the road.

SPEAKER_00 10:29

There must be some excitement about it as well as look, you just need to do it. What what what's exciting you most about doing this?

SPEAKER_01 10:37

So good.

SPEAKER_03 10:39

Um I I just love the crap with the lads, we know. Like even though we're going to like a better standard, for me, it's still gonna be. I want to kind of bring in the Sunday League kind of like atmosphere with your mates and like competitiveness and like running together over to a Saturday. Obviously, it's gonna be more competitive and obviously taking a bit more serious. But I like bringing the lads together and like having a good group and having a bevy in there and all and having little nights out and stuff, and as well as winning. Obviously, you know, we don't really enjoy that if we're getting beat, but I mean I want to be winning, of course, and competitive, but it's the uh it's the lads in the changing room and all that, and just yeah, just fucky on a Saturday, it just can't beat it.

SPEAKER_04 11:18

Obviously, a lot a lot of them lads are local, we've grew up together, so walking in there on a sat on a Saturday afternoon and the the bus is going and you start getting game ready, and then you're thinking this is it now, this is it.

SPEAKER_03 11:29

Especially when we're winning, like it was a good buzz last year.

SPEAKER_04 11:32

There's no better feeling. I enjoyed it because the song's going off in the change rooms after just just the atmosphere around the place, it's it's good. Yeah, it's it's good.

SPEAKER_03 11:39

But both off the back of a knee in the as well, to be fair. So that was like my first proper season back playing in a few years. So like I definitely got like the taste of it again. I know you come you come back towards the end of the season better so long good years, so nothing better. Stays the date, isn't it?

SPEAKER_04 11:53

Especially when you've like you grew up together and you're winning on a Saturday and you come back in the air after you're having a pipe, and just the atmosphere of other places count it.

SPEAKER_00 12:01

Absolutely. And and in terms of the the coaching and management, are are there any lessons you're taking from the two previous lads that you know you can say, look, I I looked at that and going, yeah, we're definitely gonna keep those principles or that foundation or the just the way they do certain things. And you don't have to say what they are, but have you learned a lot from those guys as well?

SPEAKER_03 12:21

Yeah, definitely for me. One one thing for me, I think like that I've learned from Fazer Nand is like the they do keep it together as like a tight group.

SPEAKER_01 12:30

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 12:30

And like one thing obviously I haven't got any experience is is it like with the first and then in the reserves. And like I think like like Faz and really did well in like keeping it all close knit. It's gotta be with one club, innit? So I mean the reserves help the first, first out the reserves, trained together and stuff. So that's one thing I think the the lads really I've I I will have learned off last season.

SPEAKER_04 12:53

That's that's probably the main thing, just keep it keeping the lads together, all local ones. So it's the close knit with us and like not a divide in the first and the seconds, and just all coming together and also like I said before, uh being honest with a lot in the reserves at some point, and um they need alads at some point, and just keeping everyone happy and just you know just getting in there and that's like then really it's hardly I'm I'm gonna play after a game everyone together when everyone comes back in first and reserves. It's just a good it's a good place to be and it's a good place to be in us.

SPEAKER_00 13:25

Definitely amazing. And talking of uh training next week, if you say pre-season training.

SPEAKER_01 13:32

Someone, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 13:33

Yeah, are you what have you got any plans? Have you have you put any sessions together, or is it just that we did this last season, we're just gonna like slowly, slowly go through and then put your own stamp on it, or you're going day one, this is what we're about. We've got we've got a few tweaks, like, haven't we?

SPEAKER_03 13:48

We've got a few things in the pipeline, uh a few ideas and stuff. But obviously, I like like you said, we're off the back of a winning season, so you don't have to change too much. But yeah, of course we're gonna put our own stamp on it and stuff. I've already kind of put it in the chat, and I don't know if it went down well, but I said about us, I want to I want to be the fitness in the main person. So put it in the chat. Didn't you get any responses? Did it? It's only a bit early. Well, it's it's out here now.

SPEAKER_04 14:14

Is it getting fit, lads?

unknown 14:20

No.

SPEAKER_04 14:21

It's gotta be done though, right? The first the first two weeks is the artist, isn't it? And then you start introducing your pieces in games, and then of it you just filter it out and let's run in, and then you get benefit of season, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 14:32

No, it's important. One one thing that isn't is to be noted Tomish was a committee meeting, I think, next week. It's kind of confirming the league start and stuff. So we have kind of been written on that as well, which has been a bit annoying.

SPEAKER_04 14:43

Yeah, and it's because you don't know they're interesting in the new cups in the lead, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 14:46

So because P mentioned the league's gone from well, Chester B's gone from three divisions for four, right? So there is only 12 in our league, which obviously means like less league games. I think they might be introducing us as a supplementary cup, isn't it?

SPEAKER_04 14:57

Yeah, because they've potentially starting the league in September now.

SPEAKER_03 15:00

We might be leaking this, I don't know. So I have it. Yeah, we'll have to do that. That's just what I'm in. I don't know. So we're waiting on that next week, really.

SPEAKER_00 15:10

So yeah, preseasons next week, but it's Thursday, 26, 26, gone to that. Okay, brilliant. And uh in the new league, are there any teams you're really looking forward to playing? Is there one standout you're going, got we got our eyes set on that? For whatever reason, it's local, you've just got some history, you've just got to turn them over. As I'll just said, Vernon about founder, uh, step for palette.

SPEAKER_04 15:32

It's been a game over the last few years. We've got great tasty games to be fair. Uh, always been close games, been a bit of other games, they slammed our pitch off, and you've got turned over on it, so it's like a cowfield or something, isn't it?

SPEAKER_03 15:47

You said they don't want to fall into that cowfield and Newton the Millers or something. Gars would as well for me. That's that's a bit of a derby for me, now. Is it the Gars would have come down from the French, so they'll be stolen with that albeit. That's always a bit of a tasty one.

SPEAKER_00 15:58

Okay. And would uh uh any of the other lads that you know they're gonna go, no, I want this game. You know, maybe they've played for one of the teams or they've got they live around there at all mates, or is it pretty much what you boys just said?

SPEAKER_03 16:11

Not only did both food stuff. Not in Divor, so I'm sure we'll make friends, won't we?

SPEAKER_00 16:21

Brilliant. So you you're gonna do this together, right? I'm just looking at you bouncing off each other already, you've got a nice beer. But there's got to be a good cop and a bad cop whenever something happens. So parents, there's a good one and there's a bad one, right? Who's good cop? Who's bad cop? No, no, I I can make up my decision my mind, but I could be wrong. I'm just sat here now, but we'll lets know already. I would have thought so.

SPEAKER_03 16:48

Probably would have thought so. Probably because it cause, yeah. I I don't touch it on the Sunday League, but obviously after the new team playing for the Sunday League last year, kind of know what it's about anyway.

SPEAKER_01 16:59

Right.

SPEAKER_03 17:01

Yeah, so I can imagine how good bad copy if it is gonna be on it.

SPEAKER_04 17:07

At least you know he just goes in, all guns blows in, yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I can put an arm down as well. It's it's what you need to do.

SPEAKER_00 17:18

It's it's what you need. It's what we need. But what what are gonna be your non-negotiables as coaches? So, you know, a lot of coaches say this is the way, and it could be philosophy of play, it could be behaviour, it could be anything. What what you do?

SPEAKER_04 17:31

One thing that we both massively agree on, and barely anyone does it, is getting fucking showers after game is disgusting. Getting showered, yeah. So play footy there for 90 minutes, and then everyone gets fucking there, get to change and comes up in there stinking, I'm gonna climb.

SPEAKER_03 17:45

Yeah, so what so we're incorporating a little finds, fine skew. So it's gonna be a heavy fine. We're gonna get on the um on the media as well. There's gonna be a lot of five, you want to fill the media teams. So I fill as a speech over.

SPEAKER_00 17:59

Well, they're not coming on if they don't shower, right? Stinking, right? They know who you are. I love that. A little call out already, bloody oh that that uh right outfit. Obviously, we are live at the club at the moment. We've got a lot of passers by gathering uh a bit of interest. I think the tennis boys and girls are just finished and uh whatever. So they're getting a few uh heads up clips of of what we got. So look, looking forward to next season, it's like it's gonna be a tough one. You have gone up in the league, there's a new change, etc. What what expectations have you set yourselves at this moment, or do you not want to release that to the lads? Just uh it might sound a bit ambitious, but promotion, but promotion, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 18:38

I've already got that in the chat, lads, to be honest. I think that I think when it got announced, that was my first message in the chat. But did did you it was short and sweet, and I just won't listen, it's neat with back-to-back promotions.

SPEAKER_04 18:48

We're not dashed, we know what the players are capable of. It's more than capable, more than capable. Wow. Um if we push them to set the standards I was if if we push them to what we believe they get to, it won't be a bumble. And I think the Lions believe in that as well, especially from how we played last year, the way we competed with the league of off, which now we're in there.

SPEAKER_03 19:11

Definitely in the mix, definitely. We've got a couple of like stronger players coming back into the fold who have been signed on, period being one of them in the couple of games. He's a top player. We've got a couple of other lads who are they played last year and he were just coming back towards the end, and that's about bringing in a couple of new faces and stuff, obviously, to freshen things up a bit.

SPEAKER_00 19:29

So, yeah. So I love the ambition. I love the ambition words. And talking of new faces, are we likely to get some new faces? I mean, you don't have to disclose who and when, but your smirk's sort of giving it away.

SPEAKER_04 19:41

No, there's a few new faces in pre-season, and it always is. Hopefully, these stick are hard, and like last year we had a few new faces. They basically cemented the lead, didn't we signs last year? Come to be top, top, top players. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 19:55

Same again this year. Same again this year. A couple of players last year, I mean, we come in. Honestly we won't we won't be where we were without them, Soberton Poor in that you just add in the right areas we might do enough.

SPEAKER_00 20:04

And how how'd you go about it? How do you go about going because I've not seen anything put out myself that says I need some players or come about? Is it word of mouth, people you know, just contacts? So to be to be fair, mate, we've had a couple of people actually message the club directly.

SPEAKER_03 20:19

Um already, not even through us, through um through the other channels, like the comedian and stuff like that. Or the Steve Reach, you know, also a couple of lads. A couple of lads, yeah. Who just who just maybe fancy a little joining in three seasons and stuff, and he might find something he might not. So there's nothing set in stall, but like you said, and uh again I've already put this in the chat from the lads. Core group that first year is more than key of challenging that league. So for me, for notion, it's vital that we keep that. Yeah, that spire that team that's good enough to play in League One and the Buzz. So that's that needs to be said. Definitely brilliant.

SPEAKER_00 20:58

And and just I I know the competitiveness, like it's a different level, so you're gonna get you know players that maybe experience at that level, but what other challenges it gonna bring? Is there more away travel, for example? Are there different kickoff type is there anything other than maybe a bit of physicality and skill setting it's gonna bring?

SPEAKER_03 21:16

I don't think so, though. Honestly, mate, the stand the standing won't be that much of a jump. No. In in my opinion, the the bottom half of the the the league that would just come out of, yeah, there was a massive gap. Top four, five, six teams could all challenge in the league above. And I think like Peter touched on, Dayton is the league above. And you could argue, colour lads actually said he's deserved to beat us, haven't they? And if it weren't for the 90th minute or 120th minute penalty miss, you know what I mean? We would have talked until it all the way to penalty, so I think that just goes to show we're we're writing the Vicks as it is, with no new signs.

SPEAKER_04 21:52

So if anything, I think we've got a couple of closer fixes so that we've not got ourselves. Yeah, I think Winstanley are closer. Winstanley's quite lawful. Have you had a few like Millowitch already? Like Mosban farm that has shown a few teams in the league below played in that too. So uh close in this year, I thought.

SPEAKER_00 22:09

So I get the feel I'm getting that vibe. You're very confident, you don't think there's too much, and and you've evidently said that to the boys as well. Have you had anything come back from the boys again, like calm down? You know, just just give us a bit like you're getting to ahead of yourself, or they're on all on that same wave and and that ambition.

SPEAKER_04 22:26

You might have been speaking down anything, but really Not heard Winchester.

SPEAKER_03 22:30

They're probably scared to sit in today then. No, I'm not earning. Now listen, the quality in that squad, right? People know how good they are. And people know that a lot of the players who played at Newton last year are too good for Div two. I mean, like that's standard. So going up to Div 1, again, that that spider that team, no one says going into Div 1.

SPEAKER_04 22:50

We got that winning mentality going, didn't we? We've got that confidence, ladies. We just got a train going there. It was just no stopping then.

SPEAKER_03 22:58

I think we've always obviously being part of the group that won the lead. That's gonna continue. Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 23:03

So and I think once once we started going on that on that run, I started believing that I was like, listen, we had a good team, we have we we can go, we can go and win the lead, and we can compete in the League of Move, and we can go once, do things.

SPEAKER_03 23:15

So I mean I know we keep mentioning it, but they win the Nuts again, both for players, huh? Yeah what I mean. It's hard to go away. Like simply got beat once at home last season. I mean, play win a fucking arcane with me. Someone scores from the halfway line, lad. That was the only time we got beat. Oh, yeah, so obviously, yeah, that's why they call it the cowfield, innit? Because we're used to it, we like that own picks, we both both beloved, we turned it into a battle on there. So, like going to them two pictures, big massive pictures, and that, and we'd be you know what I mean. We're gonna win both games here. Doesn't matter if you don't win, but you should have. So it's promising side to me, yes.

SPEAKER_00 23:47

Okay, so that that's this year, and you're back to back and you're thinking going up and whatever. Okay, let's let's get a little bit ahead of ourselves now. So this time next year, we're sat here again. Yeah, you're promoting. What's the difference? What is the difference then? And and you talk about pitches, you talk about travel, etc. Does all of that standard have to go up or not as well? Yeah, the the Prem division is then that's it's it's completely different.

SPEAKER_03 24:15

Right. It's just a little increasing, isn't it? Yeah, it does jump, but like you get liners and stuff then, and genuinely, like to me the Cheshire Prem's gone very coast and coast to semi coasts. Yeah, and it's not a lot of people. Well, you've seen it? Like everyone's getting paid or spots, so we're getting to a decent level, aren't we?

SPEAKER_00 24:33

We're not even really trying yet, but we but I suppose my my point on that is the club have got to go on that journey as well, right? So you two are gonna head that up. And and you know, I'm not gonna say if now you've told everybody you're going back to back, right? So there you are. No pressure. Hey, let's not put that out. We won't put that out, we won't put that out. But yeah, um, yeah, so so the the club will go on that journey, and I suppose it's important for you guys to work alongside the people behind the scenes at the club to make sure that you keep that camaraderie, that rapport, but actually the seriousness of the back in and whether that's financial, whether it's uh a bit of support, whether it's some admin as well. I'm I'm sure that that sort of changes and the hype. It must be good to know you'll have that behind the scenes and you've got that. Because you know, I've been down this club enough doing these podcasts, and that's the feel-good factor always here from everybody. You've already said it. Yeah, it must be nice to know that you've got that behind you as well. Yeah, definitely.

SPEAKER_03 25:33

Uh we won't be able to do it. We won't be able to do it. We couldn't play manage. No. We've changed it from Fazlode without sounding like terrible. We said what Faz and did for the club. Like, we just couldn't fathom Diddle. Even if we were just managers, like fair play to him, because I don't know how they did it. Like, I know Anto still puts the lines on the dicks as like the assistant manager, like, it's just ridiculous. To me, the commitment that he had stuff, and obviously the way all the stuff faz did be able to see it. When we said this in we'll we're gonna happily happily come in, but we've got to have the support, and obviously, that's one from the clubs and thus you got it.

SPEAKER_04 26:11

We've got the Faz Nantalking and that's Fast Nantal right behind us and Tivers as well. Everyone wants to go on the same journey, everyone wants to go to the same place, yeah. And that is the end goal of getting into the counties and seeing where we can go. Whether that's what Muslim challenge or not, I'll have yeah. Just keep going and going and seeing where we can take them.

SPEAKER_03 26:31

The facilities are there.

SPEAKER_00 26:34

I I I like when I'm just sat here when you're talking about going forwards, you're both smiling. It it's it just happens, right? It's not a thing that you're going, oh well, not sure. You're buzzing and and you're doing it. So look you just love footy, mate, right? I can tell. I can tell. But you're you're very ambitious, and I think that that's gonna rub off next season on all of the lads and the supporters. So wouldn't it be good now? Got promoted just to get a few more fans at the games at each and every week. What would be your message? So maybe people listening going, come on, come come and watch. It's a it's a decent standard, and you know, it's a bit of a bit of a kick, a bit of a it's a bit of a quack, isn't it?

SPEAKER_04 27:13

Yeah, towards end of the year, we start with getting a few more like new faces that you hadn't seen before, and uh the there was two young lads that were there literally at every meet. Um Phil deal and they've got Sev Chanton out.

SPEAKER_03 27:26

Sev is is the main one, he's the I Golf. He was in the changes. I gave him a cut when um when Tua Leepa one case was picked off.

SPEAKER_04 27:34

He was loving it, got a great order. Them two was there all year, and um I think towards the end he even started driving a few of the makes down and setting off flares last game this season. I was looking forward to his away days this year. Towards end of the season, we started getting quite a few new faces down, and yes, we loved it. It was good, learning it for the five years.

SPEAKER_03 27:52

Yeah, yeah, great for the lads. Yeah, great for the lads, because obviously I I think Thursday, you have a few people there watching, I think we work harder. Yeah, but one thing for me, and like what we've spoken about already, is we want to be enter we want to be an entertaining watch. And I think we are anyway. So I mean obviously I didn't really watch us most of the time because you say otherwise, you know what I mean? But I feel like we obviously scored a lot of goals last year. But I think the way that me and him are gonna play, I think we're gonna be set up for like it's gonna it's gonna be a good watch.

SPEAKER_00 28:21

We wanna work hard, we wanna work teams off the ball, on the ball. So, what do you think the club can do? What could we all do to get get a few more play fans down other game? Because look, it is a winter sport, right? And sometimes to come down on a Saturday afternoon when it's peeing down, you're like, No, I'm alright. But what can what can we do to say, come on, come down for a couple of hours? It it's absolutely brilliant down here. And afterwards you see the players, you can have a bit of a crack as well.

SPEAKER_03 28:46

I think one thing obviously we'll manage to aid is there's obviously there's maybe a heavy, a lot heavier social media presence as well. So that's pretty cool. Then I get like all the content with sports clubs. Obviously, we're doing this, I like we're we're we're yeah, we've been scapegoated for the first video after that.

SPEAKER_04 29:05

That's probably why we've had a few cases coming down, do we? Phil and Michelle and Craig have up, hosted social media side, which we've probably never done over in the last few years, and it's honestly this year it's been a massive.

SPEAKER_03 29:16

It's been a passing tool, isn't it?

SPEAKER_04 29:17

The lads, the lads do love the uh, that's what you do with the camera on the slide, and well they don't admit it, but they love it. Yeah, they do that. That's the seamless link.

SPEAKER_00 29:27

Because I think Axie, you know what we we were talking before that you guys are what the youngsters are gonna be looking up to, right? But they can't look up to you if you're they're not there, if they don't see you. So we're gonna get more involved as the media team to make sure we get more you promoted more, basically. And you're leading from the front by being honest today, right? So it's before pre-season. It isn't. Hey, listen, you're gonna get absolute stick, but but you're gonna have to nominate boys and girls to come on every week, okay? Because that that's the way we'll drive. Everyone's getting hundreds of signs going on, mate. But we what we want to do is some shorts as well, so that people don't do you know, clickbait and people go, Oh yeah, I want to be part of that. But it'd be really great if um we can talk about how we integrate you guys with those with those new lads and girls that come down and you make sure you're saying hello and thank you and all that sort of stuff because absolutely that's what will get people coming back on it 100%. 100% it's a good set of lads, though, as well.

SPEAKER_03 30:25

So none of that will be a problem. No, I'm all the problems, aren't we?

SPEAKER_00 30:30

Yeah, we're not and not walking back to their cars with the headphones on and and them sitting on their phones. Good. Okay, right, guys, we're gonna take it away from being serious. You're off the hook now for what your philosophy is. That will come after your first five games and see where you're up to, right? But we're gonna do a bit of quick fire now. Okay, now what I will say for your teammates and now those that are gonna be sort of playing for you, you may pee one or two off. Yeah, you've got to both answer them, you're not getting out of jail. So we could have different answers. Yeah, you could have different answers. Okay, so first one, who's the best player you've played alongside?

SPEAKER_03 31:12

Eden for me, mate.

SPEAKER_00 31:14

Yeah, for anyone, anyone you've ever played.

SPEAKER_03 31:21

Still could be Eden, to be honest.

SPEAKER_01 31:24

Eden's that what else you've heard.

SPEAKER_03 31:26

I will not know the lads who I like to shout up, Jack Cattlons. I play with Jack Cattens, he's a he's a bowler spawny as well. Yeah, I've got to give Bornie a shout. He's he's a bit overweight, but he's alright, Bornie. Nah, I don't have to go with Edo, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 31:45

Okay, this is this could be controversial. Who's the better player at the two year?

SPEAKER_03 31:52

I can't not say that, you know what I mean? The boy was a waving till he was 18 years old.

SPEAKER_00 31:58

Fair enough. Fair enough. Okay, which kind of player in the squad would you pick first for a pub quiz team? Well, lacking lacking an asphalt. Is it general knowledge or sports? It's gonna be a mixture, it's gonna have music, general knowledge, um geography, it's gonna have everything. Think trivial perceived.

SPEAKER_03 32:20

No, you know what I'm talking about.

SPEAKER_04 32:23

No, I did we did one last year. Is that Ash Ashbens, didn't we? And how is it a house in the team of Key Morden? I think it's shit up and Kiam Orden all day. Okay, yeah, I can't think as many more to be fair. Um person you don't want, it's fine.

SPEAKER_00 32:38

Well, that was gonna be my next question. Which player are you leaving on the bench for that pub quiz team?

SPEAKER_03 32:45

I bet it's and I think having a fuggling, fuggling in that apartment. Yeah, we're gonna keep it on the bench, sorry. Yeah, yeah. Evil's definitely in there.

SPEAKER_00 33:04

You was uh quicker to answer those. They rolled off the tongue apart from the other. Brilliant. Right, you've got an away day with an overnight stay. Who are you not sharing with and why in the current squad?

SPEAKER_03 33:24

Who are not sharing with probably the ones you don't get a shower laugh? It's a tough one.

SPEAKER_04 33:34

That is tough. There's a few of different ways you can go with that on to that.

SPEAKER_03 33:40

I don't want to share the band. I don't know, I think I think just annoying me. Some people are just like I'll I'll I'll go. I give I give Baz that one.

SPEAKER_00 33:55

Okay. All right. It's one of the lads stagdues. Who's organising it? Oh, the current squad, who's gonna be lads? Any fans?

SPEAKER_03 34:07

Again, me, but we're lacking well. We are lacking.

SPEAKER_04 34:18

No, what? So Fat's even talking about it. Percy would be all right, wouldn't he?

SPEAKER_03 34:22

Yeah, maybe Ballsy. No, Ball. Maybe Perse. Perse the teachers and he's gonna have a bit of organisation now.

SPEAKER_00 34:32

Okay, so uh yeah, not too many organisers now. What who's the biggest character in the dressing room? Current players. Yeah, Edo's definitely, yeah, I don't really want to say.

SPEAKER_03 34:44

What's new in the same? He is he's just what pops to my mind with Edo lot when we won the league. You know, like uh who was it imitated? Uh oh, was it we won the league? So it went at Sofia, won the league at all Wednesday night. Sounds a bit like a bit of an advanced at home, so it's right, Jane. Phil's got the video, but he doesn't want to be a little bit more than that. Phil's got the video, yeah. But it could be the first short. I've seen the video. Yeah, obviously, we're all getting ready for the showers and that and all like pop my champagne and that when it's always called eagle, start bollock naked, honestly, just slid over this table, table's collapsed in the middle of the shall I say, yeah. I think just for that moment, he's gotta be up there. Why is that not been released yet? Yeah, that's because you're not the opposite.

SPEAKER_04 35:26

I don't know what's crazy or not, but someone's gonna need to do it.

SPEAKER_00 35:30

Yeah, he ended up doing it a couple more times in the end, and he was like you see what's in the movie. So you know, a bit uh and who needs to be banned from the dressing room playlist?

SPEAKER_03 35:42

I got put on tunes and I'm no DJ me with it. I I won't be DJ next year, Death and Myth. Sorry, yeah.

SPEAKER_04 35:49

I think I've got a novel.

SPEAKER_03 35:52

It wasn't someone I didn't we have a mixed playlist.

SPEAKER_04 35:57

One person it was, but there's we built some techno live. Just tech just techno tunes all the time.

SPEAKER_00 36:04

I just used to take a little BJ buy down there, I mean, that's all bad. So we've got a great bunch of uh players, very skillful, gonna go and win the league again, but they can't organise a stagdo for shit. They're a bit thick, they don't shower, and they've got a shit taste of music. Yeah, I think that's what you need to bring into the squad. Yeah, don't worry about skill, just just some characters. Just some characters. That tells me to be honest. Okay, look, a final message to the fans and everybody connected with the club. What message would you like to give Newton Lawillo's supporters ahead of the new season?

SPEAKER_04 36:39

Get the out because we're gonna see some silver.

SPEAKER_03 36:43

I just think yeah. See him again, really, just obviously with our own shit on it. And um it's a good it's a good atmosphere, it's a good it's a good time to get down to the club.

SPEAKER_04 36:52

It's drawing the night from last season, from about Christmas, it's got real the ground here, isn't it? Yeah. A few more fans down, yeah, two new people, and yeah, just to crack in it. It's always better when you begin, but that's not gonna say.

SPEAKER_03 37:09

I I think it's gonna be the same again. Yeah, they're gonna be going for uh back to that yeah, so there's one lot of toppling it this year. And I just think yeah, it's gonna be entertaining to watch, in it. It's a good group of lads, local lads, the majority.

SPEAKER_00 37:21

So yeah, get Ireland supporters and stuff and help us push over the line and that will be cultural, definitely. Well, look, good luck for the start of the season. I'm not gonna say the whole season because you'll be coming back on. Okay, we'll let you get a few games in and we'll we'll get in and we'll do a bit of a review after the first five games or something like that. But gents, look, well done. You've come on and you've led the way with that, so you can call out any of the other boys whenever you want. They've got to come on when you shout, as long as they've had a shower. But no, it's been a pleasure and well done, and good luck for the start of the season. Cheers, guys. Cheers up.