I WON’T MISS MY NORTHERN RIVALS
THURROCK manager Mark Stimson celebrated promotion back to the Ryman Premier with a parting shot at some of the managers he is leaving behind.
The Fleet secured Ryman North play-off glory by doing something only one other club has managed to achieve this term.
They won 1-0 at Maldon & Tiptree and that righted a few wrongs following the club’s collapse at Brentwood in the 2015 final, and of course a 4-0 defeat at the Wallace Binder Ground back in February.
Stimson, a Wembley winner three times as a manager, knows what it takes to achieve success and one thing he is looking forward to is better standards of sportsmanship.
The Thurrock boss – who described Ronnie Winn’s match settler as worthy of winning any final – said: “It’s been a great season for us, only one club has won at Maldon this season and they really know how to play football the right way so that makes it really special.
“I’ll be honest, one thing I am not going to miss about the Ryman North is the conduct of a fair number of the opposition benches.
“I’ve taken as much as I possibly can this year but it just seems to have got worse and worse. I’m thick skinned, but some of the stuff I have heard this season defies belief.
“Certain people believe we are something we are not, perhaps they see what I’ve done in the game and they say I’m on huge money and use that but it’s a load of rubbish.
“I’ve wanted a dugout assessor this season, but it’s not happened. I’ve had to stand in the far corner to get away from what some of them are saying to me. I’ve been shocked by the language and the attitude. This is the first season I have not been sent off as a manager and I’m surprised I kept my composure.
“The Ryman Premier has better levels all around and I’m looking forward to a profes- sional approach.” His dig, Stimson stresses, is not at Maldon counterpart Kevin Horlock who was gracious in defeat. “Far from it,” clarified the former Grays manager, who says he is gutted he won’t be locking horns with his former club after the clubs swapped divisions. “Kevin is a former pro and has a lot of class. A few of our players were surprised he came onto our coach just before we left and congratulated us on winning promotion. “Not me. I know what the guy is all about and I wish there were more like him in that league.”