GISSA PIZZA THE ACTION!
SLOUGH TOWN haven’t been able to hold their traditional big-game pizza night ahead of today’s clash with Dartford — but joint-boss Neil Baker knows whoever comes out on top this afternoon will still need that slice of play-off fortune.
Baker and co-manager Jon Underwood – who started out together at Godalming Town – have led the Rebels to two promotions through the play-offs.
But while they have plenty of experience in these winner-takes-all games, the Covid-19 restrictions have put a different slant on all preparations.
And that includes not having their usual big game build-up of sharing pizza after training on Thursday night.
The Rebels welcome Steve King’s Darts this afternoon with the winners making the trip to Havant & Waterlooville in the semi-final.
Baker says they are fully aware of the dangers the Darts will pose and know they need to be on top of their game.
But with no form guide to go on and preparations for the play-offs completely unprecedented, Baker says every team is heading into the unknown.
“It’s a bit bizarre, really,” he told The NLP. “Here we are planning for play-offs that, for one of us, is going to be over on Sunday while others are preparing for next season. So it is difficult to get your head around it. I think there will be changes in football off the back of this but it’s trying to adapt and adjust. That’s what we’re trying to do.
“You don’t normally get two or three weeks to train for one game. We started the season terribly this year. We took two points from our first five games. We don’t have that luxury of having games to claw back those points – it’s a case of having to hit the ground running.
“We are going in off the back of four months without football and that’s tough. It’s all a complete unknown.
“You’ve got to look at Wycombe as an example really. They’ve ended up getting in the play-offs and got promoted. It can happen. There’s no reason why we can’t do it or any of the teams, for that matter. You can put a piece of paper between all six teams in the play-offs.”
With the football hiatus now stretching into a fourth month, Baker says the anticipation has quickly returned this week.
“It’s excitement and real nervousness before the games,” Baker, who reached 500 games in the dugout with Underwood back in November, said. “The only exception to that was
probably the year we lost to Leamington,” Baker said. “That year I probably didn’t think it was the right time for us to go up anyway. It transpired that we had a great season the following year, got promoted and had a good FA Cup run. That was the only one I wasn’t nervous in but this one will be I’m sure.
“It’s obviously going to be different with no fans in but, at the end of the day, there is so much at stake for the club, myself and Jon personally, the players – to have a chance of getting in the National League is amazing.
“When me and Jon started as managers our aim was, ‘Can we get into the
National League South?’. That was our ambition. We’ve got there and now it’s, ‘Can we get into the National League?’. That’s the next step. To be among some of those sides would be massive for Slough.
“So that’s the dream. Because of the clubs who are involved in the play-offs pushing to make sure they get played, we all get that opportunity.
“It’s a one in six chance for us. We’re up against Kingy, who I get on really well with. He’s somebody who is very experienced in these types of games.
“We’ve managed to get two promotions via the play-offs and there’s no reason why we can’t make it a third time. But I’m sure all the managers will feel the same.”