The Shifnal Town and Shropshire Football Podcast
A weekly football podcast dedicated to all football in Shropshire.
The Shifnal Town and Shropshire Football Podcast
Episode 3 - Tom White (Dawley Town) & Connor Patterson (Shifnal Town)
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Dawley Town Manager Tom White and Shifnal Town Joint Manager Connor Patterson joined us to round up the latest week of fixtures.
Welcome to episode three of the Shift Mill Town and Shropshire football podcast. That's a mouthful that is.
SPEAKER_03Rick, would you like to do the introductions? Yeah, so we've got uh Connor Patterson, Shift Mill Town Joint Manager, and we've got Tom White, Dawley Town Manager. Thanks for coming on.
SPEAKER_04No worries about it, mate. So, firstly, we'll uh do our normal run through of the uh the action in Shropshire. Uh, but firstly, just thanks. We've actually had some positive feedback.
SPEAKER_03Never.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, yeah, yeah. Uh Matthew Boswell at Shawbury said, uh, oh, it's great what you're doing. So uh fair play to him. Andy Steele at Whitchurch. Mind you, that was after we went there. Oh, okay. Uh, and the guys from Rockredine Wood. Is that right? Yeah, Rockredine Wood, yeah. Yeah, and my mate Johnny Woodward all left positive comments. So thanks for that. Um, bit of news, and you might know something we don't know, guys. Um, Telford Town, um, they still haven't appointed a manager, have they? And I know they've got applications at uh you're putting on the right smile.
SPEAKER_02Nobody's saying anything. Keep my lips in. I know that someone's been on to one of my players already asking them to go there, so I've never in the world.
SPEAKER_04Well, you heard it here first. Um but I have to say, the two guys in temporary charge, uh Ellis Brooks, Davis, and Matt Price, uh, they're doing a job, aren't they? Yeah, because they won the last two. Well, they they they uh haven't lost, they they won one on penalties, didn't they, against Darleston? Yeah, and uh so hats off to them. So uh, you know, they might be staking a claim themselves. Who knows? Who knows? But you heard that bit of gossiping first. Um and I'll say they've certainly steadied the ship. Uh draws against Darleston, which they went on to win uh on pens and then uh all Scott Heath and uh Joe Cuff's back in the side, he's back back fit and scored. He looks like he's back fit now, yeah. Yeah, so he'll be a good addition to them though, won't he? You haven't played them yet, though?
SPEAKER_00No, uh we've got them boxing day and their place. Yeah, I mean that'll be. I think we both requested each other, so yeah. Weather permitting weather permitting, but we can switch it if we need to. Well, I hope we can switch it. Because yeah, their pitch isn't the best in the winter.
SPEAKER_04No, no, so uh to catch up on on all we're gonna have some funny pitches this season, though. Yeah, you know. I mean it's been pouring down now, innit? So um to catch up on all the um Shropshire action in the past few days, with church allport, um, our only Midland League team. They've had a tough week, Rick, after we went up there. Um we said Brockton would be a tough one, and they lost 2-0.
SPEAKER_03Yeah.
SPEAKER_04And then they played Runcorn Town, who have looked like they've had shots in the Midland League. Yeah, Runcorn beat them 4-1. They're at the top of that division. Uh, Oli Olden getting the goal for them. They've uh four points from four for Whitchurch, so it's a solid start, ain't it? And uh they've got Coventry United. Remember them tomorrow in the Cup. Forgot about it. Tried to dismiss it from our memory. That was the first game last season. Okay, what was the score? Uh one nil. So over to the Hellenic League, uh these kind of go below the radar, no, they're a little bit. Um um they uh they won the first ever game in the vase. Uh stape 0-0, uh, Luton, uh Luton, Ludlow won, uh, Ramsey Birch, uh, and they um face Heriford Pegasus in the next round. Don't know anything about them, do you?
SPEAKER_05No.
SPEAKER_04No, and then uh Wednesday night we had Ludlow won, New and one, uh Jess Howard for Ludlow. Uh they were unbeaten in fifth in the Helenic, so you know, good start for them. Right, over to uh the Shropshire League of Death, North West Counties League. Bridge North are going well, aren't they? Yeah, they look strong. Yeah, I went to see them at uh play uh uh Wensfield the other night. What was the score? It was the draw. Oh, was it a draw?
SPEAKER_01Actually, Wensfield were winning it, but uh Wensfield aren't bad either. They've got some quick lads on the wing, uh decent. We we lost 3-2 to them, I think.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, yeah, they got the pitch sorted out a bit at Wentzfield as well. How long that'll last, I don't know. But uh AFC Bridge North lead the way for Shropshire teams in that division in second place. Um, two points behind the leaders Kazis with a game in hand. And at the weekend we had Bridge North four crew one, two for Zazzy, um and tomorrow they're off to Alsager. Do you know anything about them? Yeah, we drew two or with them.
SPEAKER_00Uh first game of the season, we were 2-0 down with 10 minutes to go, and we pulled it back to 2-0. Fair play. Um we should have won it. Yeah, we had a chance at the end to win it. So yeah, they're they're yeah, they're they're okay. Yeah, I I expect Bridge North to go there and win, though.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, yeah, I think so. And then we've got Shawbury United in fifth, uh 10 points from five, and we had Shawbury three, Whitney's two, uh Pickford two, and Hesson.
SPEAKER_05Yeah.
SPEAKER_04Um they're at New Mills tomorrow, but you have to say he's done a good job there, hasn't he, Matthew Boswell? Because they were at the bottom last season.
SPEAKER_00I think I think with them two in the side, Josh Hesson and Ethan Pickford, they're gonna score a lot of goals this season. I think from the results as well, they seem to be conceding a f you know, they've got high scoring games, so I think it's a case of them scoring more than the other, but knowing Boz, he'll soon shore things off. Be great bloke, any kind of thing.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, I mean he puts good sizer together wherever he is, he's uh really good at working with the lads. And for me, with my experience with Josh Essen, if he's fit and firing, he's arguably the best runner in the league like 100 miles. The lad is ridiculous when he's on it. So and for Ethan Pickford's stats last season, um, he went and written uh the league apart in a struggling team, so I expect big things from him as well.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, he was top Ethan Pickford was a top goalscorer in that team, uh that league last season, and the team finished bottom on 14 points. Yeah, so impressive. That's that sells it all. Take over, we'll go back. Just going back to Matty Boswell, um when we first started, um, and he was sh he he took over from me and Connor at uh Am's well it's tell for town now, but at Am's and he uh he was shadowing us for a bit, wasn't he? Before before we left. Yeah, I learned so much from him in such a short space of time.
SPEAKER_02Um the so-called development lab side. And um to be honest, when me and Tom ended up leaving the club, he took the job on with a big task on hand. Um, majority of the players ended up leaving as well with me and Tom. And he went in there on a project and massive credit to Amy. He went and got the club a promotion, he won trophies of the club, and arguably last season before he stepped away from the football club, the club are on uh on the right path to get promoted again. He uh departed. He knows the leagues and he knows the levels, and he you know he assembles good size pretty much wherever he's at. So credit to Matt as well.
SPEAKER_00And a nice bloke. Yeah, on a personal level as well. He you know, he he rings me up, we have chats, he you know, it's not even though we're in the same league, he's still okay. That's the end of the Matthew Boswell appreciation. He'll like that.
SPEAKER_04Just because he sent us a nice comment, we ain't got to average it was the one. So then we got uh Mark Drayton there in 15th place, uh, three points in four games, and uh in the bars on Saturday they lost to Studley 3-1. Um so tough game for them. Uh Wednesday they played it an all-action game, six goals in the first half. It finished it was three-three at half time, but unfortunately, they went on to come out the wrong side, and it was Sambach for all Market Drayton three. Yeah, 266, as we said at that one. That's a good attendance. Uh we're playing them tomorrow. Yeah. Omer away. At our place, yeah, so uh McCann's local derby. McIntosham, McIntosh and Brace for them, and um as I said here, they make the short trip to Dawley. Yeah. Uh research goes into this week, it does, it does, I know, yeah.
SPEAKER_03I'm impressed.
SPEAKER_04Um all Scott Heath in 17th place, two points from five, and it was Telford Nil or Scott Nil at the weekend, and then we had Eccleshaw four or Scott Nil in in midweek. Um, and they go to Whitney's Town tomorrow, so that's a tough thing that they're into Whitneystown blinding. And then in 19th, we won point from three, but it did very early days at Dorley. Uh we had Dawley 0 Cassies 1. And I, you know, I you know yourself. Cassies have got a side on their hands, haven't they? There, so that's not a terrible, you know.
SPEAKER_03You've got to take heart from that, haven't you? Yeah. What attendance was there? Because it looked quite healthy on the camera there.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, it was it was 200 plus. I would say it was 200 plus.
SPEAKER_01I don't know the official attendance, but yeah, 200 plus. You must have not not you can't be pleased with a victory a lot, but no, no.
SPEAKER_00Um at the end of the game, um I said to the fans, give them a clap as the lads were walking off. What a great effort. Yeah, because we're not we're doing ourselves justice, we're not getting the results, but yeah, as long as we can beat that that's that that is the main thing. If we were getting beat threes, fours and not scoring, yeah, then I'd be worried. I just think a few little tweaks, a couple of new signings, and I think we'll be there or thereabouts. Finding the level, yeah, yeah, yeah, definitely. It's the rough and tumble with a level as well.
SPEAKER_03It's not just the quality, it's it's the intensity intensity, definitely. Because of course you've gone from playing Saturdays locally to all over the place Saturday, Tuesday, Saturday, Tuesday.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, and to be honest, some of them most of them games I'd say probably four or five tough games a season, home and away, so eight tough games a season. The other teams there's a big golfing class in the level and that shot there, Salad uh press. Yeah, so some weeks you're turning up, you're 3-0 within 15 minutes, and it's sort of like game over. Yeah, yeah. So the challenge now is like I I'm I'm loving it. Yeah, you know, you've got to be fully focused for them 90 minutes, there's no there's no room for error.
SPEAKER_02So me personally, on that Dory Wolf Cadsies game, though, I think Dowley Town can go take massive credit out of it with the kind of resources that they've got down at Wolf Cadsies for the level this season and the caliber of player there have got uh got their the size of club Dory Town and Arvindly up. I think they can go take themselves massive credit away from that game because uh Wolf Cazis have been tipped to go and win the league. So there's no pressure on these boys, they went there and played the game, and I think there's a positive result, one-nil, you know. It's uh and from what I got told in the game, Dorley arguably had the fair uh crack of chances. Yeah.
SPEAKER_04No, we haven't covered uh before we go on to the TJ Vickers League, of course. We haven't covered uh our hostowns. And uh you've been on your holidays, Rick. I have you've been I'd like to add we won two before I went away.
SPEAKER_03I'm not a bad look, Charmer.
SPEAKER_04So we went uh to uh pastures new Paddyham on that's up in Burnley and uh called away for four one corner, right?
SPEAKER_02Yeah, um big coach journey for the lads on Saturday. Um went there obviously doing our research on Padaham. Um tough place to go. Um, you know, they'll definitely take points off teams this season. I think they were two and a look against one corner in the week. Yeah, um, but we went there um full of confidence, um, the spirit in the group was right, and we went there with a game plan, and the game plan was executed brilliantly. Um the lads stuck to exactly what was asked of them, uh, the shape, everything about them on Saturday, proper away mentality and uh proper performance at this level.
SPEAKER_03And it didn't look the easiest of pitches to play on either.
SPEAKER_02Not at all, mate. To be honest, I think first 10 minutes they just literally stuck it on us. I think they had about 10 corners in about the first 10 minutes, to be honest. And I was stuck there with my hands over Jesus Christ, nothing coming on here.
SPEAKER_04But you know so uh Saturday evening there we proudly sat at the top of the uh Northwest, the North uh Northern Premier League West. Yeah, um, and we go to Newcastle. Uh our kids grew over, I should say, on Wednesday evening. Was it Wednesday or Tuesday? Tuesday evening. Yeah, it's been a long week, yeah. And uh we took a bit of a sort of a you know, they said it was going to be a war, didn't they, in the poster? And they certainly came at us and we dug in. And um came and we'll have another three points, Connor. Smash and graph.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. Who cares? Those are the nice things. I spoke to the lads after the game and um the ambitions we've got at the football club this season and where we want to go this season. I said to the lads, them kind of games there, they define um being where we want to be at the end of the season. Um, you know, I believe that uh recent squads that I've had probably wouldn't have been able to see that game out, probably wouldn't have been able to get us over the line in those um circumstances. But credit to the boys on Tuesday night, they stepped up to the mark, they ground it out, they they battled for 90 minutes, they ran through brick walls for me, and they reaped their rewards in the end.
SPEAKER_04So many teams will go to Keith's ground. It was horrible, it was horrible.
SPEAKER_02Well, our first clean sheet, sorry, should I say um but honestly they were a very well drilled solid on Tuesday night and they ran themselves into the ground.
SPEAKER_04Who's the uh is he the joint manager that came on with 15 minutes to go? Is he the Reedy Matt Reed? He's a huge boy. You think, oh, here we go.
SPEAKER_02I spoke to your I actually spoke to Jack, your Jack, um yesterday in training, and he just said, like, when he's planted and he's going up for a header, it's pointless even trying to win it because you can't move him, you physically can't move him. He said, All you can try and do is affect his header, so he headers it out, or you know, it's just trying to affect his header because he said he's a monster of a boy.
SPEAKER_04So uh that was our fourth uh our third win, and uh we went down a play, so we ended up second because our name begins with S rather than B. But we're set for that, won't we? Yeah, we will.
SPEAKER_03I think credit to Connor though, because you know, five years ago, if someone would have said that Shiftnell Town would have beaten Kids Grove Athletic three games on the bounce, which Connor's teams have done, you know, you wouldn't have thought that. You know, we won there last season, beat them at home last season, and then won away the other night. So you know it shows how far Shiftnor Town football club has come with three wins against a very good non-league team.
SPEAKER_04I thought it was a really good performance in its own way.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, yeah. Um for me, then one of the best wins, you know, when you you've ground it out, you've worked hard, and you end up getting a reward out of it.
SPEAKER_04So on to the uh, and uh we got uh you got a bit of respite tomorrow, because it's the cup tomorrow, isn't it? Is that a free hit or is that um seriously? That's one of his bogey teams tomorrow, it's the opposite.
SPEAKER_02That is one of my bogey teams, but I can't see I can't see the chairman being too happy if we're gonna take it one of them games tomorrow.
SPEAKER_04You know, give my boy a break from tomorrow, no?
SPEAKER_02We're in a win winning mentality.
SPEAKER_04So it's council tomorrow morning. And we've got a couple of ex-calcer players in the squad, so it'd be a laugh, yeah. Is it here? Nah, away. We're just away. And then again, yeah, Stafford around the week following Tuesday night. There's no easy game.
SPEAKER_00And come out tonight. Yeah, sorry about that.
SPEAKER_04So before we get on to the in-depth interviews, then Rick, we'll just run through the TJ because I'll tell you what I like about this league. They play a lot of the games on a Friday night, you know. You have the nations are playing tonight, aren't they?
SPEAKER_00They have started Tuesbury opera covers and the editions. That's a good idea.
SPEAKER_03I think it's a great idea. Would that suit your partners more if you were playing on a Friday night than you'd have the weekends free? What do you reckon?
SPEAKER_00Is that the thing with we have we have Family Night on a Friday night?
SPEAKER_04We have tonight, so just to whiz through, uh, Ellesmere Rangers currently lead the way, ten points from four. They beat Shrewsbury Up and Comers, uh, Michael O'Reilly goal, and um FC Nations are second with their lovely shirt. Uh they've got nine points from four, and they beat Wemtown 9-1. What's happened to Wemtown? They used to be decent. I think they've they've played at step five. Did Mike O'Reilly score for Ellesmere? Um Jimmy. Yes, Mike O'Reilly. Yeah.
SPEAKER_00I thought he was the manager.
SPEAKER_04Well, he was down at score. Sorry.
SPEAKER_00They uh we played them in the final last year, they beat us 2-1 in the League Cup final. Yeah, yeah. Decent side there.
SPEAKER_04I mean, as I say, FC Nations uh went uh beat Wem 9-1. It was only 1-1 half time. Eight seconds, half one of the two talk, yeah. Uh then you've got um Hormond and Church Stretton both have 100% records. You've got Horman 3, Whitchurch 1, uh Davis, Hale and Marshall for them with Clifton for Whitchurch, and then you've got NC United one, uh, Church Stretton five, Cole Hill, Jones, Murdoch, and Hartshorn. I reckon they're gonna win that league, Church Stretton. They've never won it. I reckon they're gonna win it.
SPEAKER_00They've never won it. They've they're they're our old foes. We've had so many battles with them. I mean, last season, um down to the wire, were it down to the wire, yeah. We needed to draw a win, they needed to win. Yeah, they were 4-2, they were 2-0 up, 3-1 up, 4-2 up with 10 minutes to go, and we managed to get an equaliser literally last kick of the game. Right. Absolutely seasoning. Well, I mean they've got good luck to them. They are of a good side. I mean, the players they've got in that side could definitely play it at a level above, if not further. James Hill, Matthew Cole in centre mid, great player. And then they all very much like just make it. Yeah, they just when you're waiting to you know, before the game, they come out, they come through the estate somewhat, especially that Matthew Cole. I can't and James Hill, that James Hill scored goals in that league for years, and Matthew Cole is one of the best midfielders that we've come up against at that level.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, yeah. And uh lovely little ground there by the Royals.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, it was very scenic, yeah.
SPEAKER_04So in just uh Hemryford Premier League, we've got uh uh teams in that Cleehill United, they're 10th with three points from two games. We've got uh Cleehill four, Ludlow Town Reserves three. Uh Ludlow Town are playing that as well, and they lost in midweek to AFC Worcester 4-1, and I'm afraid they're at the bottom, but uh so Ludlow Reserves at the bottom of that. And a special mention for Mearside Rangers who play in the TJ Vickers Division I it's the TJ Vickers Fiat, and they've won the first three games. Do you know anything about them? But uh that they've started like a house on fire. Um, at the end, we do a resort of the week, so I'll chuck these in the mix. Yeah. Um Paddyham one, Schiffnell IV, that's gotta be in there, isn't it? Yeah, we'll get that one in there. Let's go then as well, it's pretty good as well. I mean I think bridge north four crew one's worthy of a mention, yeah. And I think you gotta say FC Nations 9 when one is a bloody eye opening result. So we'll we'll come back to that and pick a winner. Uh so Rick, it's over to you. So, lads, you know each other well.
SPEAKER_03Do you want to talk about your history together in football?
SPEAKER_02No, yeah, well, um about five years ago now, was it? Yeah. Like five years ago. Um Tom was manager at uh Wellington Amateurs, which it was called back then. And I went in as Tom's um assistant manager. We had a season together, I think was it a full season.
SPEAKER_00I think Nicky Baker was the brains behind getting us together, wasn't he? Yeah, yeah, he played a big part in it.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, I was previously at All Scott before that, and then when I knew Tom was going there, I spoke to Baker and I decided to go in there, go in with Tom. Um, we assembled a very good squad for the level.
SPEAKER_03Um some of the players in that squad keep writing off some names.
SPEAKER_02Joe Thomas, um, Jeff Watkins, Ross Jones, um Mark Perry, um Josh Garrington, Dan Beddows, Dan Beddows, Charlie Knowles, Aaron Powell, Leon Blake, Toyrell McFarlane, Harry Dabbs in golf, um, Jack Boswell as well, at some point, didn't we? Umsmore. Yeah, Matty Ellsmore. Um, there would have been a few more between me and Tom anyway, with how busy we are. So yeah, we assembled a very good side for the level um over the course of the season. I think it was it a COVID season in the end, or didn't Chris.
SPEAKER_00No, it was it was before that. Um I think the pivotal moment was Joe Thomas getting injured. Yeah, right. Just before Christmas. I think we'd won maybe nine out of nine up until then.
SPEAKER_02We went on a massive run, didn't we? Um we climbed ourselves up the table, put ourselves in a very good um position. Um, obviously, at the level, we didn't have any uh kind of budget whatsoever. It was just purely lads playing for us. We did struggle to keep a consistent squad every week. Obviously, if lads had things planned with their missus or anything like that, you know, when they're not getting paid, they would obviously go and do things with their family and whatnot. So we kind of struggled to keep a consistent squad week in, week out. But we ended up grinding up results and uh putting ourselves in a very good position, and a very key player at the time of our squad, Joe Thomas, did end up getting injured. Um with I think a couple of other players' work commitments. I think Jeff might have stepped away a couple of other things that went on, and we just just missed out if I'm honest. But um, you know, in the and in that season we went and won up the county cup, we went and won that year together. So we went and got a trophy to our name that year, and over and then overall it was a bit of a disappointing season because we set out that season to go and get the club promoted. We did fall just short, but you know, I learned a lot that season, and um I think that season put me in a very good position to where I am now today. Um, I later moved on to Shawbury the season after. Um Tom stepped away from the football club, um, went and done his thing. I then went to Shawbury, had a season at Shawbury, um, and then I found myself here with Shiftnor Town. So that season I think with Tom, working with Tom, getting um getting to know the um around the levels and learning a few things along the way, I think it uh it set me up nicely to um push on now and uh achieve things at Shiftnell Town.
SPEAKER_03With you at Dawley, like you've although you're manager, like you you you've set up um a junior team at Shift.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, well I I we we left Dams because they asked me to go back. Dawley asked me to go back, basically. So I I went over. So I was always going to be Dorley manager. There was never really any Connor was always gonna go on to test himself to different levels and go higher. My ambition was always to get Dawley to a position where they were self-sufficient, well-run club. You know, it's step six, maybe five one day, who knows? But just just to have the club in a more just be just to be up there, mixing it rather than playing at the same places season after season with no ambition. That that was my target to go home and take them somewhere. First season, we went invincible. We've won F we won 27 games and drew one. Um and I didn't expect that sort of success so quickly. So we weren't the ground grading, wasn't we, we wouldn't have passed that, we didn't have the floodlight application in, there was nothing ready.
SPEAKER_03Was that the season when you went big on the tally with uh the scaffold and it's like yeah, we went down the i street with the scaffold truck and stuff like that.
SPEAKER_00But then after that season, I thought to myself, well, the potential's there that's try and start getting the ground right. So we had a season where we finished second, then we finished fifth, and then last season we had a great season. We only lost two games all season, but it was more the work off the pitch. We were starting to get things done. You you know, all the stuff we talked about, we were actually implementing. We've got a little clubhouse down there now, the bar. We've got a temporary bar at the moment, but the bar's getting fitted in the 26th of August in the next week or so, you know. So that's that's a revenue. We've got the food hut. I've started the junior football now, so we do like new dugouts, the floodlights, yeah. The floodlights, we're just waiting for our offer letter from the football foundation. They've been brilliant, they've been really good. Uh, Ben Costello from the Football Foundation has been great. They'll be doing the lights before the deadline on the 30th of September. We've started the kids uh section, which is like for four, five, and six year olds. So we're open to now. Like, I mean, Shiftmel have got teams in every age group, numerous teams in every age group. We we want, I think a you've got a ladies team though, haven't you? Yeah, yeah, we've got a ladies' team, but I think a club of our where we want to get to, I think the youth football is massive. So I run that now nine till twelve on a Saturday morning, and then either rush to an away game or go home, have a shower, and then get back up the ground for an home game. Yeah, but my missus, she she's she's you know, she's fully behind me. I've got two boys that play, one's nine, one's five, a little girl as well now. So without her being fully behind it, yeah, like she lets me, she lets me do my thing, like she's she's brilliant.
SPEAKER_03What do you do training wise on a week as well?
SPEAKER_00We're only training on a Tuesday at the moment, yeah. But we're doing we're doing like a two-hour session. So when the floodlights come in, we'll probably just train on the one day and then do like a meet up sort of set pieces and stuff on the Thursday. But fingers crossed we'll get some more midweek games if games get caught called off and stuff like that. Because I'll be honest, like I I've always gone and watched games on Boxing Day. Do you know what I mean? I'd go and watch Connor or go and watch Ash Fallon at Stafford, or because he used to play for us, you know. I'd go and watch someone and support someone, and to to actually be playing on that day, it's a massive thing for me. I've always wanted to play Boxing Day. I know it seems to people that are at that level, they take it for granted in a way, don't they? Yeah, you know, but for me, I've never I never see I always played at step seven as well, so I never really I just uh back back in the day it was I just played for Dawley. Well it was Telford Juniors at the time, yeah, and I captained the side, we won the Salad Prem, and then we played in Midland Division I Midland Division II, we won that. Uh we we won it on goal difference to Gordon Athletic, who are now still step their step six as well, no.
SPEAKER_02Flying.
SPEAKER_00So yeah, yeah, I captained Dawley and then took over as manager. It's my club, it's as simple as that. I can't. I went to Am's just to sort of Dorley went in a different direction at the time. They chose someone else to be manager, so I went to Arms to just sort of figure things out and then I went back. But I can't see myself ever leaving, if I'm honest. I can't I know things change in football quickly, but as long as they'll have me, I'll be there.
SPEAKER_03So talk a little bit about the kind of resources you have in comparison to others in the league. I obviously don't expect you to go into finally. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But are you, for example, expecting to be up there with the big spenders, or are you No, obviously the target's to stay up.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. 100%. Even if it's the last day of the season with the last kick of the kick of the ball that it doesn't, whatever happens, the club needs to stay up. Yeah, that that's the main thing. If we could put in all these facilities and getting the floodlights, going down's not an option, and we've got the quality in the squad as it is now to stay up. Yeah. I'm I'm hoping we're in that sort of midsection where we're comfortable by sort of you know February and it doesn't go down to the wire. But if it does, so be it. But I think the quality in the squad, we've just brought some new players in as well. We've we're looking at new players.
SPEAKER_03Um were most of the lads on board with you, because obviously you go in from playing locally every Saturday to a big change, aren't you? When there's a lot of travelling involved, and that's just not for some people, is it? And I know that's fair enough, but were the lads all on board with you generally?
SPEAKER_00We've got we've got no budget currently at the moment, but obviously with the bar coming in, this is something that we're gonna look at in the future, even just a small incentive for players, you know, it goes a long way, doesn't it? Um, but there's a massive gulf in that I think that top three to five that you know people talk, people know, don't they? That there's a big difference. There is some big budgets in that league this season. Um but I don't think there's a massive difference in quality of the yeah, I think it's more experience, it's not the quality of the player, I think it's the experience of being in the leagues. Do you know what I mean? Playing at that higher level, yeah.
SPEAKER_02Them top teams will have lads where they know where the net is that playing at a higher level, their money will go into the strikers, and yeah, but you know, when you you've got strikers that uh obviously haven't been at the level or they're not an out-and-out goal scorer, then you know if they're gonna get three or four chances a game, can you go and back into scoring? Whereas these lads that are coming into step six that have played step four, step three, some maybe even higher. Um when they're getting the big money playing at that level, they'll get to pay big money for one reason, and that's go and you know, go and get the stats and go and score the goals that they've put there to score.
SPEAKER_00Um the this group of players that that have stayed with me, they've been with me for I'd say there's a core of 10, 11 players that have been with me for a long time. Do you know what I mean? They've been there for two, three seasons, some longer. You know, like your Dan Beddows, he's always following me, Ryan Aston and Gold, Dalian Scully and Darrell, James Bennett Tyndall. These are all players that people know, don't they? Rodie McLeod, Kane, your brother Kane, he he plays for us as well, Ross Jones. These these are players that some of them younger players could definitely go and play go and get paid, and they're sticking with the project. And a lot of them are from the area. We've probably got a you know a cluster of five or six that are actually they walk to the ground, yeah, similar to Churchill. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And it's testament to them that they just want to they want to see the club go forward.
SPEAKER_03And how is your pitch fair this summer? Obviously, everybody's struggling with uh the head speed.
SPEAKER_00It's rock hard, but we have we've got a groundsman, Leah McDowell. Um he he's down there pretty much every day on and off when it when he can, when he gets the time, and uh he's kept he's kept a lot of it green, which is two sprinklers. Yeah, yeah, it looked good. Yeah, yeah, just two sprinklers on uh on some uh some uh stuff. And the plan is to put some piping in when they put the channels in for the floodlights, and we're hoping to get four four taps each side, and then that'd be massive for him. Yeah I don't think he's gonna let them dig that channel around the pitch without that water pipe going in. Oh, he'll just dig it back out and stuff by hand, I think.
SPEAKER_03No fair play, T. You've um you've done a magnificent job with Jawley, and you know, it's great to have another club in Tropshire that's playing at that hard level, isn't it? You know, it's really good. Uh so how's your season going then?
SPEAKER_02It couldn't be going any better at the minute, really. Speaking of this time tomorrow, and then it can be very difficult. Um well, yeah, played four competitive games, won four competitive games. Um, absolute massive credit to the boys. Um, I went out pre-season, and I think you know already, uh Rick, I'm I'm pretty busy. I do my homework, I do my research. I went and looked at the stats and I handpicked this group this uh season um to go and achieve something for the football club. And I believe in these lads more than anyone. Um the togetherness of the group this season is special, it's uh it's a real top group, and we've just got to keep the lads on it, maintain our standards, stick to our principles, and hopefully we'll be in for a successful season.
SPEAKER_03And like obviously, one of your biggest achievements was promotion, but also you've had some great cup runs in the FA Cup, and you'd be eager tomorrow to continue that because you know we've had some fantastic memories in that, haven't we?
SPEAKER_02Look, the FA Cup um, you know, it's brilliant to play in the FA Cup. Uh it brings revenue into the football club, it attracts faces. Um for us as Shiffle Town being a small club. I think that run that we put together in the FA Cup last time round, it generated so much for the football club. Um, I think we were on the news, we had people ringing me here, there and everywhere. I was going to meet people, Mick was meeting people. You know, in terms of Shiffle Town, that was massive for this football club. And um, that'll be your next step on it, Tom. Do you know what I mean?
SPEAKER_00Like you'll want to play topic. Right. I think it's a top arsenal finish. I'm not hundreds of.
SPEAKER_02You can't get in it from that league. I know I think you're correct, it's the top 10 finishing. I suppose you're ground as well, possibly a bit. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I'm not too sure on that, but um look, the FA Cup's brilliant, and we go again in it tomorrow. Um the chairman's already asked me, uh, he wants me to put another run together this season. Um so we'll go and set up right tomorrow. Um, they are a bit of my bogey team. Um, I haven't won there. Uh Rowie puts it together a great side. I've run through brick walls for him, and he sets them up in a certain way against us. And to be honest, it's worked in previous games. But like we go there tomorrow, one four out of four, we're full of confidence. And and like you said, you're a different side now. Yeah, we've got some real quality within the group, and I think the mentality is right this year as well. I think you know, um, the lads aren't big time, they're not they don't think we're better than we are. They know that we've got to, first of all, we've got to win the right no matter who we're playing, we've got to work hard, we've got to turn right up with the right mindset, and we'll turn up there tomorrow, not thinking they're a league below us, this will be a walk over, this will be easy. We'll turn up tomorrow knowing full well we're in for a game, and for the minute ago, we're gonna be bare bang at it.
SPEAKER_04They spoke very well, haven't they? They have, and I've I think uh that's pretty well it's had been a great just get on the pod here. It's been uh been excellent, yeah. Really good listen. Yeah, you know. Thanks very much, lads. I hope I hope the people of Shropshire give us a listen as well so we can get the numbers up. So we've got two things. Well, one thing to do, we've got a pick result of the week then.
SPEAKER_03We'll leave it to the managers.
SPEAKER_04So we've got well we you've got Paddy Paddingham One. I wish I knew how to say it. Paddy Padding, is it? Paddingham, Paddingham 1, Shiftnell 4, Bridge North 4, Crew 1, and FC Nations 9 Wem 1.
SPEAKER_02As much as I love to say Shiftnall, I think you've got to give it to Nations after.
SPEAKER_04I do, and they're playing tonight, yeah. And it's good to, you know, good these, you know, lesser clubs get get them in, and I've absolutely fantastic, uh, fantastic results.
SPEAKER_02I think we've both got a few ex-players playing there as well for nations, to be honest. Um even uh uh number two at the football club is probably playing for them tonight, J O in for them tonight. So um everything and get a result for themselves tonight.
SPEAKER_04Can we expect to see any lone players from Schiffnell going to Gorley at all? We'll see soon as all Marmy said we've got to have a theme tune on here. A theme tune, we'll have to source it, won't we? Yeah. And we've got to have an outro as well. For tonight, I thought we could change it every week. So I was gonna so remember work us into this, you know, don't chuck this together. From All Scott to All Brighton, from Whitchurch to when, from Brownfly to Bridge North, we've got you covered.
unknownVery good.
SPEAKER_04I like it.
SPEAKER_00He's brilliant, though.
