COV’S GOT A LOT TO GIVE
‘Mr East Thurrock’ is even cutting the grass
JOHN COVENTRY has found the perfect place to mull over his managerial decisions at East Thurrock United – out on the mower!
The long-serving Rocks boss – known to many as Mr East Thurrock – says the Isthmian Premier League club are a bit unique in comparison to some of their rivals.
It’s all hands to the deck at all times and Coventry is more than happy to do his bit.
Having taken over in 2007, he’s led the club through some of its best days as two promotions saw them reach Step 2 of the Pyramid where they went up against clubs with far bigger resources.
Coventry doesn’t use that as an excuse but after two mid-table finishes, they slipped back to Step 3 where they have made a solid start to the new season.
It’s not been all plain sailing with owner Benny Bennett very unwell but Coventry says they are doing their best amidst tough times off the pitch at Rookery Hill. “I needed that break in the summer to make that decision: Do I recharge the batteries or is it a good time to go out having achieved getting to the National League South?” he tells The NLP.
“But we’re a little bit unusual our club. It’s run a bit differently to other clubs. It’s a very small group of people there. We all find ourselves doing other jobs, including me, that another manager wouldn’t consider doing.
Reality
“But it’s the way we’ve always been. I’ve got no complaints about it. The one thing is it enables me to do is I don’t have to go and ask permission to do anything – there’s a lot to be said for that!
“I don’t have that issue. If we’re not doing very good, it’s down to me.
at the moment my owner is ill. He’s been absolutely brilliant for me. Sometimes I walk in the club after we’ve just got beat and I’ve got the hump, but that drags you back to reality.
“But you have to focus and make sure the players are happy with the football. I try to keep it a happy environment. I don’t think I always achieve it – but I do try!”
Win or lose, Coventry has found a good way of unwinding.
“My groundsman, who is in his mid-70s, had a stroke 18 months ago so I’m now the groundsman,” Coventry says.
“I look after all the kids’ pitches as well – we have youth teams out the back. On Tuesday, I spent seven hours over there getting three pitches ready for the week “Unfortunately
end because it might have been the only dry day I had.
“My bloody tractor is broken – it’s supposed to have three cutters on it and I’m down to one so it takes me three times longer.
“I worked it out today, it’s 180 times up and down to get it all done!
Detective
“But it does give you some good thinking time. I hate gardening, my wife knows that. But I go over there on a Sunday after a game to get the pitch sorted. If I’m sitting on my tractor or mower at 8am, out there on my own, you’ve really got time to think about the previous day’s game and what we’re going to do next. So it does have a benefit.”
It’s obviously working with the Rocks’ 1-0 Non-League Day win over Lewes seeing them fifth in the table.
They used the day to promote their youth set-up and promote sponsors Grayer Graphics taking naming rights of the stadium.
But it was overshadowed by a break-in at the club on Saturday night that saw confectionary and the money they collected for Prostate Cancer UK stolen.
Coventry, a former teacher, has done some detective work and knows local kids are the culprit, while a fundraising page has been set-up.
“The damage they caused was probably more than the cost of the sweets and the drinks – but because we did the collection for Prostate Cancer UK it was a kick in the teeth,” Coventry said.
“Technology is not my strong point but my son has set up one of these donation pages and it’s nice the response you get.” https://www.gofundme. com/f/east-thurrock-unitedprostate-cancer-uk