CHRIS IS HAVING A BLAST AT BURY
India trip just part of Dagnall’s journey
THEY say an Indian summer is the period in life where one rediscovers the joys of youth but for Bury striker Chris Dagnall, it has a more literal meaning.
Dagnall spent a glorious three months in 2015 playing in front of 65,000 fans in the Indian Super League for Kerala Blasters, rubbing shoulders with some world stars.
But for Liverpool-born Dagnall, nothing – not even the mass adulation he enjoyed during his time in Kerala – comes close to the bumps and rigours of the EFL.
“There’s nothing better than getting up on Saturday and playing at three o’clock, getting yourself in a battle in League Two,” he said.
“The rough-andtumble of League Two is a completely different type of football. I don’t think anything compares to the Football League.”
That isn’t to say that the 32-year-old wasn’t appreciative of his time in southwestern India, where he scored six times in 13 matches – far from it, in fact.
“It was unbelievable,” he said. “I’ve never been so shocked in my life. We were playing in front of about 65,000 fans.
“It was chaos. They were there two hours before the game, the DJ was on the music and the streets were covered with thousands of people – it was crazy. You were playing against people like Nicolas Anelka and Roberto Carlos, so it was a bit of an eye-opener.
“They were treating us like Premier League players out there. If anybody gets the chance to go over, I’d highly recommend it.”
Now back and established once again in more familiar territories, Dagnall is settling in nicely at a Bury side looking to bounce straight back after last year’s relegation from League One.
After a difficult start to the season, the Shakers were in the midst of a three-match winning streak in the league before a 1-0 defeat to Carlisle last weekend.
Dagnall is playing under the tutelage of a familiar face at Gigg Lane – Shakers boss Ryan Lowe, below, was his strike partner for a season at Crewe back in 2016-17.
He was in no doubt about the offer to join up with his old friend this summer.
No-brainer
“Once I got the call off Lowey saying he wanted me to join, it was a no-brainer. I was in and out the same day. Signed and sealed,” said Dagnall. “It was a quick phone call. I was down the training ground and getting on with it. “The playing side to the management side is completely different, and I think he’s transferred over well.
“He’s earned the respect of the lads quite quickly. I give him the respect of a manager. Off the pitch he’s still lovely to me, but in and around the training ground he’s the gaffer.”
At 32, Dagnall has nearly 500 league appearances under his belt and the former Rochdale man has started making arrangements for his own future.
He added: “I’ve already started my coaching badges. I’m hoping to get them completed in the next few years before I retire and then move into coaching and see what happens.”