BILLY’S BACK ON RED ALERT
Alfreton’s new boss eyes redemption
BILLY HEATH may be embarking on his 18th consecutive pre-season but not much is different about his new job. Another rebuild, another club in the doldrums.
Almost two decades since he took up management, ditching his playing career aged 28 at the drop of a hat after a bad performance; Heath is now tasked with bringing the good times back to Alfreton.
“Wayne (Bradley, chairman) is still here!” Heath tells
The NLP, 20 years on since he and his two brothers played for the club.
“We’ve been in for a couple of months and it’s gone really well. I enjoy the place, obviously I knew about the club, it’s got a good feel to it.”
In those two months Heath has been hard at work. Alfreton have been treading water in the National League North since their relegation in 2015 and the 47-year-old, who mutually parted company with FC Halifax in January, has begun the rebuild.
“It’s set up in the right way for myself to work. We’ve done a lot of business because we’ve only kept two of the players who were there last season. I’m really pleased with what we’ve got in at the minute.”
Defender Luke Shiels and midfielder Tom Platt are the only survivors. Heath has raided Halifax for striker Tom Denton, midfielders Nathan Hotte and Danny Clarke, defender Josh Wilde and goalkeeper Tom Nicholson.
Ross Durrant and Bobby Johnson have both joined from another of his old clubs, North Ferriby. Richard Peniket, Jack Lane, Declan Bacon, James Clifton, Curtis Batteson and Craig King have also signed up.
“It was exactly the same when I walked into Halifax, there were about three or four players left,” says Heath. “It’s another big task, but one that I’m certainly enjoying. I’ve been given the budget to work with and been allowed to get on with the job, so that’s always a good sign.
Experience
“From looking from the outside, since the relegation, it seems like they’ve been treading water and not been competing at the right end of the table. Hopefully we can change that.”
Heath turned Halifax’s fortunes around after their relegation in 2016, bouncing back at the first attempt via the play-offs. It was the second promotion Heath has won from Step 2, the other coming with North Ferriby just weeks before he left to join the Shaymen.
At Ferriby, he took the village club from battling relegation in the Northern Premier League to Step 1 while winning an FA Trophy final at Wembley against Wrexham on the way.
Heath’s managerial career started at Bridlington Town. He had been turning out for the likes of Ferriby, Matlock and Lincoln United as a centre-back before he got the chance to move into the dugout as player-manager. His long-standing right hand man Mark Carroll, after witnessing a Heath horror show one Saturday afternoon, convinced him to hang up his boots.
Character
Three promotions in five years flew by, followed by another half decade at Frickley and a few months at Hall Road before taking the Ferriby job.
“I’ve been in management 19 years now, I never kicked a ball after 28,” says Heath. “Management was always something I was going to look at, but a job came up a bit sooner than expected. Like any job, you have to do your apprenticeship at these places and it stands you in good stead.
“It’s nice to be back; I think it’s my 18th pre-season on the spin since coming into football. Leaving Halifax in January, I’ve had time to recharge the batteries because this game can take its toll on you.
“We’re going to work with small numbers because we’re not financially blessed like the majority of the other clubs but we’ll get the right personal in and players who want to come for the right reasons.
“We just build teams, not full of stunning individuals. That’s what you’re most proud of. If you haven’t got the finances, I don’t want to make a massive thing of it because I’ve really enjoyed these two months.
“The main thing is that 46-point mark, that’s not being negative; it’s how I’ve always done it at whatever club I’ve been at. We want to make sure Alfreton are making steps forward, that’s the biggest thing this season.”
ALFRETON HAVE BEEN TREADING WATER SINCE RELEGATION AND WE NEED TO CHANGE THAT” Billy Heath