AND WE’RE OFF!
SEASON PROMISES TO BE THE BEST YET
NON-LEAGUE supporters this weekend welcomed back their heroes in the hope that fairytales will be written and the dream of Football League fixtures will become a reality this time next season. Local football has become relevant again and the euphoria Gareth Southgate’s England built up in Russia is vibrating up and down the country to all tiers of Non-League and grassroots football with the buzz and buildup evident in local communities and around the grounds. Service stations are again being revisited by armies of committed travelling supporters along with the players who travel up and down the country desperate for success. The last six weeks for clubs have been the busiest of the year in terms of planning, recruitment and preparation. New managers have had to assemble new squads and existing teams have had to improve with fresh faces, all of which takes time. That time is now up and the integration period is over. The graft and grind of pre-season is something I have always loved as a player. I enjoy working as a group and pushing each other physically and mentally, demanding more and more each time. Tough sessions build togetherness and strength within a team that will be called upon numerous times over a season. Tough runs, circuits and boxing sessions are in the bank, often in 90-degree heat.
Implications
Sports scientists and strength and conditioning coaches play a major role and have become an integral part of any successful team or individual, but their hard work behind the scenes is far from over. With seven games in the first month and 15 in the first two, it’s now that they really earn their stripes and show their worth. Recovery is paramount, more so for the smaller squads who don’t have the luxury of resting or rotating players, So ice baths and recovery shakes will become standard, and more work will be done in the gym with stretching and cool downs to speed up recovery and prevent injury. Travelling will also take its toll and for those players with young families and second jobs it will be a huge test both mentally and physically. Immaculately manicured pitches are on show with new signings donning the latest kit ready to become the fans’ favourite. Pre-season results and form are forgotten. Body fat scores, weights and running times are less irrelevant; it’s only the league that matters now and nothing else. Tackles are full-blooded and committed, set-pieces are nailed down and misses and mistakes become ever costly and highlighted. The National League is under way and this season it’s the toughest league in years with so many competing for top spot. The likes of Salford, Chesterfield, Barnet and Leyton Orient will know failure to win promotion could have huge implications. The big boys won’t have it all their own way with the so-called smaller clubs licking their lips at the prospect of turning them over in their own back yard. It’s always an extra incentive to play against teams with grander budgets, high expectations and in front of larger, more hostile crowds in packed stadiums. The importance of getting out of the blocks quickly and convincingly sends out a very powerful message to any rivals and signals intent. The season I won the league with Barnet we played Chester away first game and I remember we turned up at 2.20pm after an accident on the motorway. Martin Allen simply threw the kit on the floor and told us to get our kit, put our boots on and go and have a 15-minute warm-up. He convinced the players before that game we didn’t need to warm up because we were prepared for anything and we were the best team in the league. We won the game 5-0 and went on to win five of out of our next six, the rest is history.
It’s winning these testing away games where battles and scraps will be taking place all over the pitch that will define winning the title or ending up in the play-offs.
Consistency
Testing trips away to Braintree on a Tuesday night after a tough trip to Halifax will push a player’s character and teams will need leaders to stand up. The occasional win against one of the bigger sides brings elation, but that can be very short-lived and a reality check is normally just around the corner with a tough trip to Dagenham or Maidenhead. It will be the most organised team, the team showing the highest levels consistency, discipline and unity that will prevail come April. Whoever ends up as Champions of the National League will have had to have scrapped for every hard-earned point and that is exactly how it should be. Best of luck to all travelling supporters throughout the season, your commitment to your club and support of your players is invaluable. Safe travels.