Rocks looking to build on recent upturn in fortunes
TYTHERINGTON Rocks are relishing a new lease of life competing high up the Toolstation First Division ladder.
So says heartened chairman Troy Monks, who helped oversee a long sought-after switch to the league from an equivalent step 6 Hellenic Division One West competition they were only too happy to leave behind after years of turmoil and struggle there.
Seventh-placed Tytherington host fifth-spot Sherborne Town tomorrow before travelling to Dorset for a quickfire return meeting with the Zebras a week later, after the original late August meeting was abandoned midway through the first half due to a serious dislocated knee injury sustained by Rocks’ 18-year-old midfielder Tom Rummels.
Monks, who turns 38 on Sunday, grew up in neighbouring Thornbury and played for the town’s aspiring team as well as turning out for Patchway, Olveston and Tytherington, before committing to the latter in a significant and, by his own admission, unexpected offfield development.
He explained: “When the previous chairman (James Eveleigh) and a few members of our committee left last summer (2020), I realised we needed a new chairman in and fast to simply maintain our place in the Hellenic League.
“I’m in my second season in the position now and we’ve had to reformulate virtually our entire committee and make adjustments quickly. The club wanted to interview me for the manager’s role originally in 2019 after Tim Minihane left. David Doe got the job then, but I knew some of the lads still and agreed to help out behind the scenes, sweeping the dressing rooms and cutting the grass etc.
“I never thought for one moment I’d go on to become chairman!”
The Rocks chief continued: “When David stepped down as manager looking to spend more time with his kids in April this year, we had to sort things quickly again. So we brought in Tiago Carreiras, a UEFA B badge holder who had coached at quite a good level in Portugal before moving to this area.
“We’d interviewed seven people for the position which was a fantastic number, and in the end Tiago stood out with his qualifications.
“Jake Edwards, who had been a video performance analyst at Forest Green Rovers and Brighton, had also applied for the job; and although we were a bit tentative about giving it to him as he was only aged 24, we were more than happy to get him aboard working alongside Tiago as his assistant.
“We also have a fitness coach/ sports therapist in Graham McAnuff, so there’s a more professional environment about us now. It’s something we’re taking pride in because before the turnaround we’d been getting the begging bowl out pleading for players and helpers. We’re moving in a good direction, although it’s ironic that after years of the club wanting to switch to the Toolstation League, so many Bristol clubs have gone the other way into the Hellenic League.”
Of their campaign prospects after so far accumulating 21 points from six wins and three draws from 13 outings to date, Monks emphasised: “Our manager’s remit going into this season was to try and guide us to a comfortable position, certainly one more comfortable than the club had been used to over many years in the Hellenic League.
“Tiago feels we can do better than that and be top five contenders, and who are we to argue? If we can keep progressing as we are, then why can’t we be thinking about pushing for the league title and promotion next season?” suggested the Tytherington chairman, who is likely to see centre-back Connor Davey, and winger Matthew Hoare, return to Carreiras’ ranks tomorrow.
Rocks’ First Division rivals Bishop Sutton have experienced their own trials and tribulations in recent years, a pattern they also seem to be addressing under Jon Toy’s leadership.
The Lakeview outfit occupy a mid-table berth heading into tomorrow’s away-day with a Wincanton Town team desperate for a revitalising win occupying the lower reaches of the standings.
Sutton’s veteran chairman George Williams admitted, however: “Just like many other clubs at our level, poor commitment levels has meant our manager just hasn’t been able to field anything like the same side from one week to the next. A few weeks ago I felt moved to go into our dressing room and read the riot act, delivering a few home truths to the players about how too many of them seemed to want to train and play when it
suited them. Jon has a squad of 22 and he’s needed it, just to ensure we can get 11 players out there. Hopefully they’ve listened and paid heed. We do have eight or nine reli- able lads; but the rest just seem to come and go as they want.”
Williams stressed: “Our manager shows extraordinary commitment levels off the pitch and it’s something some players don’t always appreciate.
“At 74, I’ve been here for 45 years and down the ground this week with my brother Richard Williams and Mervyn Williams (no relation), who are both 71 and long-serving club members. We were there as usual, putting up new box nets and welding the posts.
“I’m sure we’ll be in for a tough game at Wincanton, just as our match with Sherborne last week was. That was one of the best games I’ve seen here for a long time, not least because of Mason Dagger’s equalising 25-yard screamer into the top corner which earned us a fair 1-1 draw in my view.”
Relentless leaders Welton Rovers travel to Bristol Telephones eager to stretch their unbeaten record since the start to 15 games.
Bitton host high-flying Helston Athletic targeting three more big points to cement their place back at the head of the Premier Division pile. Tuesday night’s 2-1 home victory over top-five rivals Shepton Mallet was just the ticket following two straight defeats. Brislington’s need for a tangible upturn is even greater as they face, as though luck would have it, an enormous test on the road against an Exmouth Town team basking in the afterglow of last weekend’s 11-0 Ironmould Lane romp over tomorrow’s opponents.
In the Hellenic Prem, Cribbs go to Westbury United keen to cling on to top spot after overcoming local rivals Thornbury 2-0 at Mundy Field on Tuesday night.