KING KEV HAS HIS PLACE IN HISTORY
Hero boss Bolam a big hit at Hebburn
KEVIN Bolam was a surprise appointment at Heb- burn Town two years ago – now he’s a club legend.
In his first senior management role having been the Hornets reserve team manager when stalwart Scott Oliver departed in May 2019, Bolam has repaid the faith of chairman Vin Pearson.
Hebburn are in line for promotion to the Northern Premier League’s new Step 4 division and added to their success with a dramatic FA Vase final victory last Monday.
His side showed character to twice come from behind in the first-half and then snatch it late on.
“I’d like to think the 90 minutes came across as a good game of football that both teams delivered,” he “The first half was probably too open from a manager’s point of view. We tightened up a little bit after the break and so did Consett but we’ve managed to win it and over the course of the 90 minutes I do think we deserved to pinch it.
“The reaction from Consett taking the lead twine in the first-half was first class. The challenge to the group was to get our noses in front. Once we’d done that the resilience that they showed and the character that they showed delivered the Vase.”
Bolam got it right too, replacing Amar Purewal, who scored one of the equalisers, and throwing on Olly Martin to get the winner.
“It was really close between Olly and Amar,” he said. “We’d looked at both all week in the sessions, Olly was absolutely fantastic. His attitude towards the decision, he took it like a man and opposed to a young lad.
“My final instructions to him from the technical area was discipline out of position and go and win it when we’ve got it. He’s a local lad, he’s very well thought of and I’m over the moon for him.
Humbling
“As the run developed and started best part of 18 months ago, I think back to the trips where we’ve gone to watch the opposition and done our homework, I’d like to think all that work that’s been done on and off the pitch has come to fruition.”
Hebburn supporters lined the streets when their team set off for Wemsaid. bley and they were there again on Tuesday as they returned with the Vase.
This is a club on the up having been close to extinction only three years ago and has galvanised a community.
“I’m so pleased for the people of Hebburn, for the people behind the scenes, for the owners who came into the club and rescued it,” said Bolam. “From a personal point of view it’s what dreams are made of. The amount of individual messages of good luck I had was overwhelming, it’s quite humbling.
“All I’ve tried to do since I’ve come in is bring good people around us. I think my recruitment has been very good. It’s not just a case of bringing good players in, you’ve got to bring good people in.”