TOM’S SHAW HAPPY TO BE BACK!
TOM SHAW says he’s excited to feel the butterflies for three points again after landing his maiden firstteam management job at Gainsborough Trinity.
The highly-regarded 34-year-old former Tamworth, Kidderminster Harriers, Cambridge United, Alfreton and Chester midfielder has been appointed head coach at the Pitching In NPL Premier side.
He will combine it with his existing job at Lincoln City, where he is the professional phase lead coach, and his role as Head of Football at Nottingham Trent University.
There will be close links between all three parties and Shaw is excited for his first crack at Non-League management.
“The big change will be the three points on a Saturday and the importance of it,” Shaw told The NLP. “With the development football it has been great for my coaching practices, managing individuals and developing players.
“But we’ll need to go and win on a Saturday and Tuesday night so that will be the big difference. It’s something I’ve missed, definitely, it’s been a big part of my life those butterflies on the way to a game and the feelings before and after. So I am looking forward to having that back in my life for sure.
“I’m definitely going to be supported by some really good people. Richard Kane, the chairman at Gainsborough, is a really impressive man who is Gainsborough through and through and has got their best interests in everything he does.
Privilege
“It’s exciting to have that supporting me and behind me in what we are trying to create.”
Chairman Kane says Shaw’s vision impressed him with the ex-England C international determined to offer a first team platform for young players alongside the nous of some senior players.
Shaw said: “A lot of clubs at this level have taken a bit of a hit with the current situation and we’re not going to have a massive resource to work with compared to some others.
“But we want to create a real honest and hard-working football team full of ambitious young players who want to do really well for Gainsborough to further enhance their careers.
“We will have some senior players but we want to provide a platform for young players who have lots of humility and know they’ve got to do the business for Gainsborough.
“We want ambitious lads who want to play at the highest level their ability will allow. We will be there to help them.
“I was in a similar scenario as a player where I left Mansfield Town and went to Tamworth in the Conference North under Gary Mills. The players he recruited were ambitious, we ended up winning the title and a lot of lads went onto play at a higher level. “So I have lived what we’re trying to create. I remember what it was like playing under Gary and that’s the type of culture and environment we’re going to try and create.” Since finishing playing in 2018, Shaw has been honing his coaching skills and watching closely some of the best in the business like Danny Cowley,
inset, and current Imps boss Michael Appleton, in addition to those he played under.
“I feel proud and pretty privileged to be given this at 34,” Shaw said. “It’s a proper football club, a big club in Non-League who have got an excellent reputation, stadium, and have had successes.
“They’re obviously a league below where they’d like to be and where they’ve spent most of their history, so to be given the reins as head coach is a massive privilege.”