JAMIE’S THE BEST THERE IS
Boss hailed for igniting Magpies’ spirit
CHORLEY director of football Andy Preece believes the Magpies’ involvement in the National League North promotion race sums up the spirit at the club – and he reckons they’ve got one of Non-League’s best gaffers in Jamie Vermiglio.
Tuesday night’s comeback draw with AFC Fylde – following an away point at Brackley Town – maintained Chorley’s impressive record against sides battling it out for honours in the relentless Step 2 division.
Only Brackley of the top seven have beaten them and that was on the opening day of the season, a run that also includes inflicting table-topping Gateshead’s only home defeat of the campaign.
It comes on the back of last season’s impressive
FA Cup run where they beat League One Peterborough and Wigan, took the scalp of Championship outfit Derby County and pushed Premier League Wolves all the way, losing narrowly before the season was scrapped.
“We’re delighted with how we’ve done so far this season,” Preece, who is also assistant to Vermiglio, told The NLP. “We looked at the stats before we played Fylde and we were one point short of what we had at this stage the season we got promoted. Stockport pipped us at the end and we went up through the play-offs.
“But this season we’ve still got four teams above us! The league is so strong. You’ve got full-time teams, a large number have been in the Football League or National League, so for a team like Chorley to be competing among those boys is credit to everybody here.”
Having learned lessons from their one-year stay at Step 1, the club have recruited players who have a goal to one day to go full-time should the club get the opportunity, while a Monday training session has also been introduced.
They’re not fishing in the same pond as some of their rivals. Will Tomlinson came from Padiham and Billy Whitehouse plucked from TNS as two examples, but Preece believes their position shows they get the right characters.
“You talk about the spirit of a football club but it is – it’s an old fashioned club, everybody rolls their sleeves up and pitches in,” Preece said.
“I think you can see that in our performances. Tuesday night, 2-0 down to Fylde after a couple of mistakes that never happen with Matty (Urwin) and everybody rallies round to get a result against a really strong team.
“That epitomises the club, what we’re about, and probably why players come to us and stay with us.
“Lads have probably had opportunities to go elsewhere for more money. But, if it’s not a higher level, they will stay because of what we do. We do things as professionally as we can with the resources.
“Building a squad and camaraderie, then our organisation, set plays, fitness levels – all things that cost nothing, I think we do as well, if not better, than most teams.”
Hungry
Preece, who has years of experience as a number one as boss at Bury in League One, before time at Northwich Victoria – who he almost got promoted despite a ten-point deduction – and Worcester City, says Vermiglio’s leadership is key to their on-going success. Preece came in as assistant three years ago and is seriously impressed by the 39-year-old, who is a primary school headteacher by day.
“It was a difficult decision in some ways because I’ve always been a manager and I still retain that drive to be a manager,” Preece said.
“But it couldn’t have gone any better than it has and that’s down to Jamie – the way he is, the way he manages people.
“He gives me responsibilities, a big part in decision making but he’s strong enough that if he doesn’t agree he will go with what he thinks. Then I might say, ‘what about this’ and he’ll go with what I think – that’s a massive skill that probably comes from his background. I’ve learnt a lot about leadership from Jamie.
“He must be the most underrated manager in Non-League football. He got a part-time team out of this league, one of the lower budgets, and we’re up there again.
“I know how hungry he is. You look at the Cowley brothers – he could certainly do that. For someone juggling two jobs, he is so meticulous in his preparation.
“We work really well as a team. But, I am telling you, he is a high class manager – and I’ve worked with a lot.
“I think he would surprise a lot of people with how high he could go.”