21 Questions With... Ged Kielty

21 Questions with... GED KIELTY

Ged Kielty was a central midfielder who first played for Trafford during the 2004-05 season on loan from Altrincham. He made his debut on 16^th October 2004 at home to Formby in the NWCL and eventually signed for the club in 2006. Ged made a total of 29 appearances and scored 2 goals.

Ged’s leadership qualities saw him captain the side. He was in the twilight of his playing career when Trafford manager Danny Johnson left Shawe View in the summer of 2007 to take over at Ashton Utd. Ged stepped up to become the club’s new Manager and led Trafford for two highly successful seasons in which they won the NW Counties League Title (and promotion to the Northern Premier League) followed by a respectable mid-table finish position in NPL Division 1 and an NPL President’s Cup win as a bonus.

1. What was your football career prior to Trafford and how did you end up joining the club?

From the age of about 10 I attended Manchester City’s School of Excellence, working my way up to a YTS contract then a professional contract with them. I never got to the first team but played numerous times for the reserves. I was released at the age of 20 at a time when City were in turmoil, nothing like the club it is now. They were owned by Franny Lee and had Alan Ball and his wife in charge. I went on trial to various clubs, but either I wasn’t a fit for them, or they weren’t a fit for me. I went to Ireland to play for Cobh Ramblers (Roy Keane’s old team) for a season. Joined them as a boy and left as a man. That season really toughened me up. I returned to England to have many years in the Conference playing for Southport, Barrow, Altrincham and Leigh RMI. I then drifted down the divisions, playing for the likes of Hyde United, Stalybridge and Rhyl. My love for the game was dwindling and I packed in for a while. I took up squash and ran a couple of marathons and that was where I got my enjoyment. I then got a call off Danny Johnson asking me to come down and I joined what was a relatively young Trafford squad which I think benefitted us both. I no longer got about the pitch as much as I used to, and we had lots of youthful exuberance with which I could help.

2. According to the records you played a couple of games in the 2004-05 season for Trafford before signing properly around Xmas 2006. Do you recall that?

I went on loan from Altrincham to Trafford for a few games in October 2004. The Alty manager Graham Heathcote had great links with Trafford and he arranged it. Graham is someone I learnt lots from, a wonderful man who is great company. I came out of “retirement” in 2006/2007 and played for the rest of that season when Trafford was managed by Danny Johnson.

3. What would you say your strengths were as a player (perhaps not goalscoring!!)

Nope, never been a prolific goalscorer! I’d like to think I was a good team player. At my best, I was able to run up and down all day, get the ball back and then pass it to someone who could do the next bit. I took great pleasure in that. I was always comfortable on the ball and when I was younger I was quite creative. However, I know as I got older I started to take less risks with the ball and played it safe. I had gone from Glenn Hoddle to David Batty!

4. Can you remember your two goals? Talk us through them!

I have no idea, I am guessing they were own goals!? (Ged scored against Formby away in a 4-3 victory in the NWCL Division 1 on 30^th December 2006; 12 games later on 20^th March he scored in a 1-1 draw away to Salford City, also in NWCL D1)

5. From 2007 to 2009 you were Trafford’s “Player/Manager” but didn’t actually play! Did you retire when you became the Boss?

I was officially the Player/Manager, registered etc. and I would name myself as a sub most games, but that was just to make the numbers up! I never had any intention of going on. I played under a Player/Manager many years ago, and when things weren’t going right on the pitch he would put himself on as a sub, thinking he could change the game. I learnt lots from him also – how not do to things!

6.How did it come about that you became Trafford’s manager then?

Danny Johnson was the Trafford manager and he sweet talked the committee at Ashton United into giving him the job there. So that left a vacancy at Shawe View. I was a senior player but I’d never really thought about managing before….. but it just felt natural to go for it. I was offered the job (and gratefully accepted) just before we played FC United at Gigg Lane. It was the back end of the 06/07 season. We drew the game 4-4 and we did well to match them. I think we were behind but got back into it. I was on a real high during the game – I was offering everyone out on the pitch! Not at all like me, but I was full of adrenaline and pumped up to say the least. I think I was happy I got the job!

The next game was my first as manager. It was the last game of the season away to Ossett but played at the home of Keighley Tigers Rugby Club. I’d never done a team talk before and I stuttered my way through it! But I knew I would be prepared for the following season and I would do things my way.

7. How did you set about managing the club? Did you have a plan?

By the time the new season came round I had appointed fantastic people to support me off the pitch – two amazing people in Lee Southwood and Tony Coyne. Lee is a Trafford legend and has the record for the most number of appearances. He was the assistant manager but I wanted Lee to continue playing. I needed his passion to rub off on the young squad we assembled. Lee Southwood is a fantastic role model and if you know him, you will be aware he is mad about his footy and that kind of quality rubs off. Tony Coyne is without doubt the best football coach I have come across in non-league football. He has a gift of being able to improve players, and the lads loved to come to training sessions – they were fresh and informative. On the pitch we had top players like Billy McCartney who were coming to the end of their playing career, coupled with young players like Harry Winter who were just starting on their journey. We were blessed both on and off the pitch and destined to succeed.

8. What do you remember of Trafford as a club? It has a good reputation for being well-run and having some great people behind the scenes, did you find that to be the case?

I could praise Trafford FC all day. I grew up 0.7 miles from Shawe View and I was desperate to do well for the people at the club who dedicate so much time. The committee were great, everyone pulling together in the right direction. In addition to the playing side winning trophies, Dave Murray was getting awards for his match day programme and Foxy and Tin Tin were getting awards for the pitch. Fans would be greeted by Dave Law as they came through the turnstile. Griff or Alan Heathcote would always be there for a chat. John Williams would help me complete the wages each week. Tom Walmsley was the chairman and had the belief in me to give me the manager’s job, so I owe him lots. Dave Brown would ooze class and be a figurehead for the club. Fantastic people. The players during my time appreciated how much work the committee put in. On a Sunday morning, the committee would meet at the club and do various jobs to improve or maintain Shawe View. Chris Mackay (who was our right winger and a fabulous player) and his now wife Rachel would drive down to the club (from Bury I think) and get their hands dirty, doing painting or whatever was required to help out. I am not sure you would find that anywhere else apart from Trafford FC. Players knew that the club was about doing things right. We used to tell players to make sure they get their pictures put up on the wall in the clubhouse, and they did, rightly so.

9. I presume you had a day job whilst at Trafford? – how did you find it balancing work & life in general with having to also train & work at a decent level of football?

I was a Civil Servant at the time, so I would work really hard to get my job done, then write up programme notes for each game and arrange the wages. My phone would often go and I would nip into a meeting room to talk football. I have no idea how I did it. After work I would be scouring the internet, reading match reports and seeing what was going on in the football world. I never went to many games to scout players – they would instead contact us. Players would hear about the good things we were doing and would contact me direct or through one of our players. If I did go to a game I would see the same managers who would attend every game going, with their initials on their jackets, thinking they were great. I never wanted to be like that.

10. You obviously earned the respect of your players – they performed for you and the team won things. What do you remember about the about the group of players you had at that time?

When you are a manager, you become very protective of your players. I developed a rapport with my players that I never wanted with my own managers when I played. I loved the camaraderie. We had great characters. I mentioned Lee and Tony earlier. Scott Metcalfe was nicknamed ASBO but in reality he was a lad with great manners and doted on by his father Ray who followed him everywhere. Sam Halligan was an absolute pleasure to manage, always a smile and good to have round. Harry Winter would never leave the club after a game, he just wanted to talk football with myself and Tony Coyne over a few bottles of Bud. Harry is another from good stock. I think all the lads who played for us contributed in some way. They might not have all been there for the full two years I was in charge, but they all did their bit.

11. Who would you say was the most talented player you had?

The most “naturally” talented lad we had was Wez Wilkinson. Wez was an unbelievable player who played on the left wing or up top. He struggled with injuries and we never saw what he was capable of, but he could do still things no one else at that level could do. In addition to being a silky, skilful player, he was also a nasty buggar. I played against him years ago when we were both young, and he went round kicking everyone on the ankles as he passed them and just smiled innocently.  You need a lot of luck to make it to the top, Wez had the ability, but unfortunately not the luck.

12. We hear stories sometimes at the club, about things that happened on the team coach or at Players’ nights out – Do you have any crazy stories or funniest moments?

How long have you got?! We were playing away up in County Durham against a team called Consett FC. The game was called off TWICE due to snow, both times when we’d already travelled up there. This resulted in very early drinking sessions on the coach back. On one journey back, the coach broke down I think on the A1. The driver luckily for us was able to get the coach safely to a country pub before it came to a complete halt. The landlord would have made a few quid that day between the booze sold, takings from the pool table and the money Gaz Thomas put in the fruit machine. We got back on the coach absolutely steaming. We were gutted it got fixed!

We had a trip to Magaluf at the end of my first season in charge. Not all of us went, but there was a good few of us. We had an unbelievable time, drinking from waking until sleeping and having the craic. We were in BCM’s one night and Scott Metcalfe managed to fall asleep whilst stood up and leaning against a speaker which was as big as a house. The speaker was pounding some rave crap, yet it managed to soothe Scotty to sleep! The holiday also produced a song which was actually sung on the terraces at Shawe View, with the fans singing, “Here come the girls!”

Another time we were playing Whitby away in the cup. Whitby were a very good side but we managed to go 2-0 up at half time. The wind was horrendous that day and we benefitted from that in the first half. We lost the game 3-2 as they had the wind in the second half, but I was furious as I thought we were naïve in how we defended and gave up our lead. I walked into the dressing room at the end and kicked a few bags which were in the middle of the room in frustration, and out rolls a bottle of tequila from Sam Halligan’s bag! Absolutely brilliant!

13. What’s your best moment or memory from your Trafford career?

We did some wonderful things in the season we won the NWCFL. The stats are there for all to see, we romped the league. We had a run of 29 unbeaten games which included 18 wins, a league record. Andy Lundy was League top scorer. We played football in a creative way, passing forward with purpose. We started players on the football journey. Harry Winter was a sub for our reserves when I started as manager, within 1 ½ years he was the club captain. We saw Scott Barlow rise from playing for Broadheath Central to becoming a Trafford legend. We introduced Matt Warburton to non-league, Matt is now playing and starring for Northampton Town. Existing players like Simon Woodford and Andy Lundy improved immensely. We were a team full of characters who gelled together and loved what they were doing. We played hard and we partied harder.

14. Any bad moments?

The trips I have just mentioned to Consett, where the games were postponed. So eventually the game is played, Sam Halligan gets injured and we put our trusty centre half Lee Southwood on. He’s been on the pitch five minutes and he scores an own goal, proper Djimi Traore stuff! Cheers Southy!

15. Under you the Club won the North West Counties League, promotion to the Northern Premier League, then the NPL’s President’s Cup the following season...

Yes, “2 in 2” as we like to say…

And you won the NW Counties “Manager of the Year” too. Did you win any other personal awards? Any Player of the Years, or longest in the shower?

Unless we’re counting Under 7’s player of the year for Flixton Juniors, then I can’t think of any other personal awards!

16. What would you say was the best game you were ever involved in?

I was proud to represent the Republic of Ireland at Under 18’s level. I played against Holland who had the likes of Marc Van Bommell and Mario Melchiot playing for them and I scored a volley right into the stanchion! I have my international caps and they can never be taken away from me. It’s not everyone who can say they have represented their country.

I also played for Southport FC at Wembley in the FA Trophy Final (1998) losing to Cheltenham Town who also won the Conference that year. It was a dream to play at Wembley and I was gutted when they demolished it.

17. After two really successful seasons in the Trafford hot seat you stepped down – what was the reason for that? 

My children were young when I was the Trafford manager, so that was difficult and played a part in leaving the role. If I was to do the job right, I wanted to dedicate so much time and that isn’t always conducive to having a young family. My children were growing up and I was missing out. After I left Trafford I was able to go to Australia at Christmas as a family and we went away during school holidays – that wasn’t something I was able to do when I was managing Trafford. I wasn’t sure I could take Trafford any further than I had taken them. I preferred to go out on a high, and that is very much what we did as a team. We won two trophies in two years and again that can’t be taken away from us. 

18. What did you do after leaving Trafford? What are you up to these days? Do you miss football? Do you do any coaching, kids team or suchlike? Ever fancied a return to the game at Non-League level?

I am busy with my kids now, ferrying them to dancing, scouts, football, swimming in addition to working as a Welfare Benefits Adviser. I have never managed since. I had a couple of calls to manage again and I was offered a job, however their ambition never matched mine. I have never coached in my life! I would not know how to put a training session on. I remember when Coyney and Southy were both away for a training session and I asked the players if anyone wanted to put a session on as a development opportunity! Luckily someone did! I know my strengths and that is managing the whole process, overseeing things, getting great people around you and get them to pull in the right direction. Sounds very David Brent, but I have enjoyed managing people both in and out of football. I cannot see me managing again in football, although my son is desperate for me to get involved! I would need to Coyney and Southy to join me and for a few of the ex-players to wheel themselves out! 

19. Ever been back to watch a game at Shawe View?

My son regularly attends home games now and wants to go to away games on the “fun bus”, he’s only 13! I have been to a few games since I left, not as many as I would like to but I hope to get more games in. I like watching Tom (Baker) and his team. I played against Tom a couple of times and he was a fantastic player. He did things the right way as a player and that has fed into his management style. 

20. Are you still in touch with any of your old Trafford team?

Funnily enough, whilst writing this I have created a Facebook Messenger group for the players to meet up once games get back underway at Trafford. We plan to attend a game and have a catch up and a few beers. The messages never stopped with players reminiscing about what we got up to, things I can’t even mention in this Q&A!

21. Finally, can you nominate one of the old boys to do a future “21 Questions”??!

I certainly can! 
(Ged then proceeded to provide email addresses for 9 of his players, one of whom is apparently desperate to receive the questions!!)