I’LL NEVER TYRE OF LIFE UNDER KEV!
NATHAN BLISSETT says Torquay United boss Kev Nicholson has got him playing the best football of his pro career – and then threw down the gauntlet to his gaffer for a tyre-flip challenge.
Nicholson’s squad have sessions at Winners 2000 gym in Torquay for strength and conditioning.
But when youngster Will Hancox challenged Nicholson to who could flip a tractor tyre the most times in one minute, things got serious.
The club videoed master taking on apprentice last week and initially it looked as though the player-boss had come out on top.
A re-count showed it was a draw and a rematch is in the pipeline – but Blissett wants a piece of the action himself after being called out on facebook.
“We have a strength and conditioning coach, Simon, and we go to his Winners gym for sessions,” the 25-yearold told The NLP. “At the end of last season a few of the boys were flipping tyres and it’s kind of grown to people challenging each other.
Family
“I saw the gaffer and Will do the challenge and the gaffer beat him by one, before there was a re-count. He got a bit lairy and started calling people out. I’ve seen on facebook that he’s challenged me.
“Let’s put it on the record now. In preseason, me and the gaffer will do the tyre flip challenge. It’s on!”
Blissett, who has re-signed for next season along with captain Angus MacDonald and midfielder Aman Verma, joked he’ll be preparing while on his honeymoon in the Maldives.
The big frontman marries fiancé Devika next week before returning with the aim of building on his spell in the south-west last season.
His eight goals in 16 starts helped the Gulls turn almost certain relegation into a miraculous escape with games to spare.
And he says the relationship he has with Nicholson – the pair played together at Kidderminster Harriers – has been a big factor in his productive goal ratio.
“Last season was some of the best form I’ve had in the four years since I’ve been a professional,” said the ex-Romulus and Bristol Rovers forward.
“It’s probably the pinnacle of me playing and being in a team where I could express myself. I was just told to go
and play my own game. That really helped me goalscoring wise.
“The gaffer was a massive factor in me going there last season. I’d obviously played down there before but to me it was like the end of the earth. He really sold me the club, what he wanted to do and I trusted him.
“I was staying in a hotel with four of the boys. It worked well to make us a close-knit group because you’re in each other’s hair every day.
“We always had dinner together and it was like a little family. That transferred onto the pitch.
“The main thing now, when I get back from my honeymoon, is to get my head down and have a really good pre-season and hopefully start the new season with a bang.”