OUR SHINING KNIGHT!
Robins ace is reaping rewards of
WHEN George Knight returned to England after four years on a scholarship in America, little did he know the journey he would go on with Bracknell Town.
The Covid pandemic saw the 25-year-old midfielder come home after four years playing soccer at Lander University in South Carolina.
Close friend and Farnborough defender Freddie Grant put him onto Bracknell Town’s then manager Bobby Wilkinson.
And he hasn’t looked back. Part of their waltz to last season’s Isthmian Division One South Central title with Wilkinson, Knight has also been a key cog in this season’s playupset push in Southern Premier South under Jamie McClurg and Carl Withers.
And Knight is enjoying every minute of building on his experience in America.
Cut-throat
“You grow up fast living as an 18-year-old in a different country,” Knight told The NLP. “I went out there and didn’t know anyone. It was nice going out there and learning there are great people who also have the same ambition as you – that’s what America was, loads of aspiring footballers who hadn’t received pro contracts.
“It was amazing playing on these lovely pitches.
Honestly, the facilities are incredible – mint grass pitches, perfect training grounds, every athletic department has their own physio, recovery facilities, athlete-only gyms, it was incredible.
“The American game is very different to the Non-League game I’ve got to know over the last twoand-a-bit years at Step 4, now Step 3. Very different but I love them both.”
And Non-League has been the perfect place for Knight to continue learning his trade.
“At this level, teams will literally do anything to get three points. I don’t mean that because it’s so generic and every manager says that, but in America it was more about your developoff ment as an individual – like it is at academies.
“If the team loses but you’ve had a great game, there are positives and they will swing around that.
“If you have a good game but lose in Non-League, you don’t feel like you’ve had a good game because you’re devastated.
“Men’s football here is so cut-throat. It has to be done. No one knows who has had a great game, all they care about is who won.”
Bracknell have done plenty of that the last two seasons. As well as an FA Cup first round proper night to remember in front of the live TV cameras against Ipswich Town this year, the Robins have also several Step 2 opposition on their way to the last 16 of the FA Trophy.
“We had such incredible individuals that would blow teams away last season,” Knight said. “When I look back, it was incredible, but I’m not actually surprised with the squad Bobby (now Weymouth boss) assembled.
Belief
“Moving into this season, what is amazing about us now is we are all effectively Step 4 footballers playing at Step 3. It was like Football Manager, Bobby signed all the best players we played against last season.
“No big-time charlies, no one on big money and the togetherness now has
everyone on the same page.
“Dodds (McClurg) and Withs (Withers) have done unbelievabley well. With the exception of the two Slough boys (Guy Hollis and Ben Harris) we are the same squad. We have every belief.”
In their two cup runs they’ve beaten Step 2 Banbury, Tonbridge Angels, Eastbourne and Bath City with National League Altrincham up next in the Trophy at home on Saturday.
“We are excited for the game and we go in with every belief we can win,” Knight said. “We’ve made the ground a bit of a fortress. They’re a fulltime side, they will be really, really strong. But we will really want it.”