MARGETTS MOVES TO MATLOCK
JONNY Margetts admits Stamford’s switch to the Southern League was a key factor in his departure – and is now eager to fire Matlock Town to NPL Premier glory.
The 29-year-old striker enjoyed a dream season as the Daniels won the NPL Midlands last term. He bagged 33 league goals to top the divisional scoring charges and notched 36 in total.
However, the Lincolnshire outfit are set to line up in Southern Premier Central in the coming campaign, and that proved a step too far for Margetts, who includes Tranmere Rovers, Lincoln City and Scunthorpe United among his former clubs.
“I’m Doncaster-based and it was a bit of a trek anyway, but in the Southern it would have meant round trips of about five hours. I work long hours as well and the club going into the Southern League made it a little bit untenable.
“It was a difficult decision because I had such a great relationship with everyone there. I really took the club to my heart.”
Another factor that tipped the balance was that Margetts and his partner Kate welcomed daughter Myah into the world just three weeks ago.
“She’s changed my world,” he admitted. “When you have a child it changes your priority and being local for her is important.”
Given Margetts’ goalscoring form in recent seasons, it was no great surprise that there was plenty of interest in him this summer. Ultimately, though, it was Matlock who held sway.
Family
“It is another great club,” he said. “I was on loan there before and I really felt at home. It’s similar to Stamford in that it’s a really good family club.
“I spoke to quite a few clubs and tried to work out what was the best fit for me. Matlock was quite late on, but it was a pretty straightforward decision. I know the club, the manager (Martin Carruthers). At Ilkeston, his team got the ball down and passed it, and he was a striker, too.”
The Gladiators faithful will be expecting big things and Margetts is determined not to disappoint them.
“Football is ever-changing and no-one cares what you did last season,” he said. “You can never get complacent because football can bite you on the backside. I’m already training for the new season and trying to be in the best shape I can.
“You see people get complacent and have a drop-off in form, and I don’t want that to happen to me. I want to work as hard as I can and be in and around the goals.”
Matlock reached the play-offs last term, losing 4-1 at Warrington Town in the semi-finals. The Derbyshire club will want to improve on that, but Margetts isn’t taking anything for granted. “I think it will be a difficult division this year,” he added. “Teams like Macclesfield and Worksop coming up are going to be competitive with the financial backing they have got – they will be up there.
“There are a lot of good clubs in there, but hopefully we can be up there. You want to win leagues and get promotion.”