XIE SWAIN talks to Forest Green midfielder CARL WINCHESTER ng the mighty gic loss of his Falls Road a topsy-turvy ross the water

best days in football, easy.” A midfielder by trade like his Ballymena United schemer twin Jude, Winchester’s versatility has always been an asset, with the Falls Road native deployed everywhere except in goal during his time in the English Football League.

“Managers have always said to me I’m someone who can play anywhere when someone is injured,” said Winchester.

“They have that trust in me, they can put me at right back, centre mid, right wing… I remember at Cheltenham even, a big rival game actually against Forest Green, the manager played me at left back, so everywhere bar nets basically.” Though still a young man himself, Winchester has been playing professionally now for almost 10 years in

England, so he knows the lay of the land and feels an added responsibility as one of the more experienced players in a very youthful Forest Green.

“I’ve been at Forest Green for two years now and I’m loving it,” he said.

“We started off good, we were top for a week and we were always in the top three until the last couple of weeks, we’ve had a couple of bad results, but we’ve a very young side and a lot of good young players.

“For some of them, it’s their first year in the Football League. In our team, there’s about four of us over 24, the gaffer has gone for a very young team, and I’ve had the armband a few times this season when the captain was out for a while.

“Obviously, I had the armband before at Cheltenham so I know what it takes, but it is a bit different for me.

“I was always used to being the younger one and looking up to the older lads, but now they are looking up to me so it is a bit different.”

As for what the future holds, Winchester says he’s just determined to hang in there and keep living the dream.

“I just want to try and play at the highest level that I can, and to keep doing well every week,” he said.

“And hopefully I stay in England, because that is the hardest bit, just staying in England because so many young lads start off here and then end up going back to the Irish League.

“This season, my ambition is to get promoted with Forest Green and then maybe one day, play in the Championship.”

THE BALL U21 action Sampdoria k Nicola Murru ATHLETIC PLAYER Karl in action for Oldham against Walsall G FORCED Carl gets the better of Liverpool’s Stevie G in their famous FA tie STER CRAZY January 27, 2013, the date when Oldham ousted Sterling and co