21 Questions With... Simon Gallanders

SIMON GALLANDERS was a central midfielder for Trafford between the years 2009 and 2013. He made his debut on 15th August ‘09 at home to Salford City. Over the next five seasons “Gallers” made 107 League & Cup appearances for the club and scored 5 goals. He suffered a couple of bad injuries while at Shawe View, and his last appearance came as a substitute during an FA Cup qualifier away versus Droylsden in September 2013.

We caught up with him over the wonders of the Internet during the Covid Lockdown…

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

As a youngster I played for Deans Sports, then did the rounds of North West academies, mainly at Man City & Bolton. As an adult I played briefly for Salford City and Ashton Athletic before my good mate Kev McGrath, who I played schoolboys with, got me down to Trafford with Mr Garry Vaughan!

 

2. Garry Vaughan is a Trafford Legend as a player and manager. What was he like to play for?

He’s my favourite manager regardless of anything, what a bloke! We also had Loz (Greenhalgh) as assistant when I first started who was a top top bloke and then obviously Goody came in and was brilliant and a top man. I think my extra curricular activities used to get on his nerves a bit though

 

3. What do you remember of your debut? It was Vaughany’s first game as manager, Salford City were beaten 5-1 and you scored a debut goal to make it even sweeter!

Yes it was the very start of the Vaughany era and It had been a very long pre season. He had a certain name for the hill running he used to make us do in that time which a few will be able to remember. As a result we were all pretty fit but you still don’t really know until the first competitive game whether it’s done too much and if the team will actually click….. then we spanked Salford 5-1 on a lovely day at Shawe View and Will Ahern tried to amputate my left leg in a tackle (before we brought him over from the dark side!) I remember having a beer with everyone on the hill by the clubhouse after and it was just a nice thing to be part of and thankfully I got to be involved for a long time after.

 

4. All of your 107 appearances were made under Garry Vaughan and you were there during the promotion winning season 2012-2013, although you only played 9 games. What do you remember of that season?

I’d like to think I was a big part of the play off season albeit I spent most of that year injured. There was a cup final as well at Hyde which I was also injured for (the 2010 Premier Cup Final which Trafford lost 2-0 to Droylsden). In all seriousness though, the play off season was genuinely a culmination of everything that Vaughany had built over those years and the squad that did it were a group that had largely been together for a long period of time which was why they were willing to pull-up trees for each other.

 

5. You mention being injured – Foxy told me you suffered a bad injury during a game at Woodley Sports? What can you tell us about that?

In my head I was basically running the show prior to doing it. Haha. In all seriousness, I think we were winning quite comfortably and we were playing very well. Obviously it’s a plastic pitch there and I was going for a tackle and my studs caught in the turf. I broke and dislocated my right ankle which was pleasant (I still have a nice plate and a few screws in there). I remember it more for the fact I was supposed to be off to London straight after as I think it was a bank holiday weekend. I was out for around 9 months and spent a week in Stepping Hill hospital at the time because they botched the first attempt at the operation. It was around the same time there was a nurse there who was knocking people off by putting something in their drips so I suppose it could have been worse. It was a pretty tough time mentally as prior to that I’d spent all of my footballing career barely ever having an injury of any significance so it did knock me for six and you go to some pretty low places out of frustration more than anything else, but I did get back playing to the same level, all thanks to Robyn really (Robyn Jones – Trafford physio at the time). And Vaughany gave me the captains armband the next time we played at Woodley (or the next time we did where I was fit) which was a nice touch. I think during that period I fully grasped how good of a club it was. Robyn fixed my leg and then on the match days when I wasn’t able to play, there were always very friendly faces to have a laugh and a joke with (Even if you weren’t quite in the mood) Particularly Sempy and Linda.

6. You clearly weren’t a prolific scorer (!) what would you say your strengths were as a player?

Ouch! I’d like to think I was technically very proficient and involved in much of the build up to the goals you quite rightly point out that I didn’t score! whilst also being quite industrious and an overall good team player. I also played with people like Joe Shaw in Centre mid who liked to go wandering so it was good that I was there to hold fort.

Holding Fort

7. Can you remember all five of your goals? Which one was the best? – talk us through it!

I think it was a left foot screamer from about 25 yards out, in a 2-0 (or 2-1) win away at Wakefield. Melford Knight scored the other I think

(Our TFCSC Researchers have checked this and Gallers is correct – It was a 2-1 victory at Wakefield in NPL Div1 North on 12^th December 2009, and Melford Knight did indeed get the other!)

8. I presume you had a day job whilst playing – how did you balance work & life in general with training, travelling & playing at a decent level of football?

it was just part and parcel; I think at a younger age you just make it work because it’s something you’re passionate about. The travelling (especially mid-week) gets a bit tougher as you get a bit older and work responsibilities become more pressing but I can’t say that it really crossed my mind at the time. I was having too much fun.

 

9. What do you remember of your team-mates? Who were the “top guys” back then? Who would you say was the most talented player you lined up alongside?

There were very few I didn’t get along with really, I don’t think. I’d say the “top guys” are the group of lads I’ve stayed close to ever since that stand out, Joe Shaw, Martyn Andrews, Rubz (Andy Robertson), Oatsy (Michael Oates), Sam Halligan, Big Kev, and Flash (Paul Ashton). Special mention though to Vaughany who was the catalyst for getting such a good group together and then Smarty (Andy Smart) who I was recently best man for. I’ve got some interesting photos from the stag do which I can make available if you fancy doing an art exhibition in the club house! Most talented I think is always too hard to call for different things people offer to a team. I’d have to say Shelt (Shelton Payne) on his day for pure ability.

'Industrious': play on ref!

10. Any “worst team mates” / players who shouldn’t have put a pair of boots on?!!!

There was always an interesting array of “trialists” throughout a pre-season which was entertaining. Generally speaking though we always had a very good set of Football players. Vaughany built teams in his own image in that respect I think. Even Nia turned into a footballer 🤣

 

11. We sometimes hear stories about things that happened on the team coach or at Players’ nights out – Do you have any stories to share?

I couldn’t possibly say. I do remember one particularly memorable team trip to Whitby. Any night out with Rubz involved was also never for the faint hearted.

 

12. It was clearly hugely enjoyable playing for Trafford, and the club has always had a great reputation for being well-run, and continues to do so. Did you find that to be the case?

I look back on it as some of the best times, I’m still lucky to have some great great mates as a result of it all so you can’t say fairer than that. It was great to be a small part of it. It’s good to have seen it go from strength to strength since too and I’m sure that that will continue to be the case. I actually remember playing against Tom Baker for Trafford when I think he was at Halifax at the time and thinking nobody could be as barrel arsed and rotund as me on a football pitch but fair play, he proved me wrong 🤣

13. What’s your own personal best moment/memory in a Trafford shirt? And what’s the most enjoyable game you played in?

Generally just the whole period and the crack with Vaughany and the lads throughout! Other than my debut (as above) I also remember whipping Skem 4-0 at Shawe View once, when they were flying, only because the Brown’s gave me a bottle of wine for MoM. Think they must have been clearing stock (it had definitely corked) 🤣. Personally, getting back after the injuries was always quite memorable because it was a painful experience in the lead up as much as anything and therefore quite rewarding. Overall though the play off final day because it felt like it was what that group had ultimately always deserved. lt was ultimately a pretty phenomenal achievement when you look at the means of some of the teams we were up against. Always good to celebrate in the Nag after too!

14. Did you have a 'worst moment'?

Without a shadow of a doubt the injuries. As I said earlier, breaking/dislocating my ankle at Woodley on the 3G probably the lowest (I still remember the fan in the stand telling me it was definitely broke as he’d heard it snap, that was quite amusing). Then doing my cruciate at Lancaster. All that said, special mention to Robyn who was an absolute Godsend in helping with all my rehab both times, loaning various bits of equipment etc to help with all of it...Out of the goodness of her heart really. Which probably says a lot about the ethos of the club as a whole.

 

15. Did you win any personal awards e.g. Player of the year etc?

Not that I’m aware of. Vaughny did say once though that I was his best signing (admittedly after a few Uri Gellas). Pretty sure he said that to everyone though 🤣🤣

Give it me... I'll score!

16. You played a few games early on in the season after Promotion (2013-14) but moved on towards the end of September. Why did you leave the club?

Fairly prohibitive injuries meant that I was chasing my tail by that point (that and my regular mid-season holidays which never went down too well with Vaughany and Goody!) I’d gone from always being a starter to not playing much and I found that quite tough. In hindsight, the team were flying and it was completely right but try telling yourself in that moment and it’s not as obvious I suppose.

 

17. What did you do after leaving Trafford? What are you up to these days?

Football wise, I went to Mossley briefly because Big Kev was there but it just wasn’t the same followed by a brief spell at Maine Road. No disrespect to either at all, they’re great clubs, but I think my heart was probably still at Trafford so by that point I’d probably fallen out of love with it a bit and work was starting to become more and more demanding so the commitment of football became a bit too much and I made a decision to call time on it. It was also getting harder to WD40 the joints enough to not feel like the tin man after playing at that level. Outside of that I’m still working with the same property company I did when I was at Trafford, I’ve obviously just got a bit more time to dedicate to that these days now that I don’t have to worry about Vaughny dragging me all the way to Blyth Spartans on a Tuesday night to not get a sniff. That answers the question above about September ‘13 🤣

 

18. Do you miss playing? Do you do any coaching? Ever considered being a manager?

I still keep my eye in and play the odd game for my mates team in the Lancashire league. Contrary to popular opinion, I’ve always kept myself relatively fit and have always played tennis to a decent standard so I’ve satisfied my competitive edge so far with that (although it’s definitely not the same) so no coaching desires just yet. There’s a mini Gallers on the way though so who knows.

 

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

I spent too long towards the end watching so it wasn’t a high priority initially 🤣. In all seriousness I’ve been back once or twice as a fan. It depends on the individual of course, but personally it’s taken a few years of doing other stuff to realise just how good those days were. I’m sure it won’t be long post lockdown that I’ll be back and it’ll be nice to see some old faces.

 

20. Which of your old Trafford team-mates are you still in touch with?

As above, thankfully some top mates were made through those days and we all still meet up a fair bit which is good.

21. Who would you like to see in a future “21 Questions”?

Got to be Andy Smart. We used to live together and I’ve never heard anyone on a day to day basis come out with so much nonsense so I’m sure it won’t be dull!

THANKS TO GALLERS FOR ANOTHER BRILLIANT '21 ANSWERS' FROM ANOTHER GREAT TRAFFORD PLAYER, AND GOOD LUCK WITH THE MINI-GALLERS ON THE WAY! – HOPE TO SEE YOU AT SHAWE VIEW WHEN ALL THE MADNESS IS OVER! TOP MAN!