1. What was your football career prior to Trafford and how
did you end up joining the club?
Prior to Trafford FC my football career wasn’t very illustrious like some of my team-mates. I’ve never played in an actual professional football club academy. I played for FC United under 18’s then Woodley Sport Reserves and had a very brief stint at Leigh Genesis (formerly RMI).
2. You made your debut on 29th August v Rossendale in the FA CUP and then you pretty much played every game that season thereafter; what do you remember of you debut and that 1st season?
It's funny because people ask what was it like playing against this team or that team. I can honestly only remember a handful of games in my career. First season the only match I remember is the Game against Halifax town at home. I was having an a worldy of a game playing against James Dean, I'm pretty sure we were winning 2-0, then from the 70-75th minute I switch off and the worldy turned into a nightmare! He scored a 10 minute hat trick or brace they win 3 – 2 and it was pretty much down to me. I’ll never forget Vaughany going absolutely ballistic at me after the game. I think Melford Knight and Loz (then assistant manager) consoled me afterwards because I was in bits.
3. Garry Vaughan is a Trafford Legend as a player and
manager. What was he like to play for?
An Absolute pleasure! He was the kind of manager who would
always have your back. He always expected nothing but the best from you on the pitch
and he wasn't afraid to put a rocket up your arse if you were taking the piss.
Vaughany knew exactly how to manage me.
He - to a certain extent - accepted my sometimes impetuous and temperamental
behaviour because he knew on the pitch I would do anything to win. I felt the
faith he and Wayne Goodison had in me pushed me to never want to let him, my
team-mates or the club down.
4. It was definitely a close-knit group of players put
together and in 2013, it all seemed to click – how good was that season?
That season ranks as the best season I have ever been
involved in. As a group of players we all got on so well with each other both
on and off the pitch, which shows as lots of the lads are still good friends.
Management decided from the beginning that we were going to stick to playing
‘Beautiful’ ball on the deck, play out from the back, football. Everyone bought
into their philosophy and it was amazing to be a part of and to watch it all
come together. We definitely were best football playing side that year.
5. We were pretty much in the top 3 that whole season yet it
got a bit close towards the end – were the play-offs ever in doubt?
Nothing is ever certain. We knew we were a good team, playing good football but we took every game one at a time and didn’t think too far into the future.
6. Obviously you achieved so much at Trafford, both
individually and as a team, as you amassed 287 games for the club by the age of
just 25: is there one game that sticks out for you personally as your
best/favourite game?
I have 2 games that stick out for me. The first was the
first or second game of the 12/13 season, can’t remember who we played but we
demolished them 8 – 0, I'm sure Oatesy got 4 or 5 in that game! I just knew we
were going to do something special that year*.
The second was the Play-off Semi-finals against New Mills. The weather was beautiful, perfect for playing football. Looking back that has got to be my best performance, I just felt like no-one that day would get the better of me: I was jumping higher, running faster, everything just felt right. It was such a good game and a great spectacle for the fans.
 |
| Nia, literally head and shoulders above everyone else against New Mills in that game! |
7. I absolutely agree in saying the semi-final game away to New Mills is probably your best ever individual performance. You weren't too shabby in the final either - another clean sheet. What were your feelings going into those
games?
Like I said previously the Semi-finals for me was special. The finals however I didn’t enjoy the actual match. I remember fracturing my front tooth early on in the match which was painful and I could just tell everyone on the pitch was nervous. 0 – 0 shows how cagey the match was. Aside from the penalty shoot-out which was a mixture of emotions and of course winning I don’t think it was the best of matches both for me and the team.
8. If anything, the achievements of the following season,
finishing 10th in the Premier and winning the Manchester Cup were
even better. How was it for you facing ‘better’ players and what were the main
differences compared to Division 1?
Yeah, the following season was awesome, we were still on a
high from the previous season, Winning the Premier Cup against a team in the
division above was brilliant and to place 10th, we all as a team felt
so proud by the achievement. The main differences in the Prem Division was
teams were definitely fitter and more tactically astute then in Div 1. I can’t
remember coming up against many players and thinking ‘Wow’. Apart from Che Adams
from Ilkeston - who to be fair was quality and you could see early on he was
destined for the professional game. I’m sure there’s still a clip of him somewhere taking the piss out of me and putting one in the back of our net.
9. As well as the ups – and there were plenty – the 2014/15
season must surely be a down. What are you views on that season? What was the
difference from the year before?
With any team sport, if you allow a single ‘bad apple’ into
the dressing room it can infect the whole team. What made our team great was
our togetherness and as much as I love Vaughany and Goody their recruitment
that year completely divided the team right down the middle. Unfortunately,
these things happen and looking back I didn’t help the situation with my
attitude towards certain individuals. Once your dressing room is divided, it is
very difficult to get that back.
10. You ended up leaving not long after Vaughnay was sacked
(rightly or wrongly) – you and the players obviously felt strongly towards him
and Goody. What were your emotions when you first heard the news?
I think the biggest part of my character, for better or worse, is that I am led by emotions. On the pitch that can come out as passion
or as we have seen on occasions, a temper tantrum. I was and am very close with
Vaughany and Goody and when I had heard that they had been sacked after all the
good they had done in the previous 2 seasons, I let my emotions take control of
me. I felt hurt and betrayed by the board at Trafford.
I truly believe we could have turned it around that season and avoided relegation but we will never know.
11. For the efforts you put in to the club and the admiration
we, the supporters had for you, the end of your chapter at Trafford seemed
somewhat sour; and anti-climax if you like. You deserved a proper send off. Do
you wish things had ended on a nicer note – a proper goodbye?
Yes definitely, I have always loved the Fans at Trafford,
they have always been brilliant with me, especially Lynda Dixon and the late,
great Andrew ‘Sempie’ Semple. The phrase Trafford Family comes from the love
and bond the players and managers felt from fans. I wish I could go back and do
things differently. But these things are in past and we can only look forward.
12. What did you do after leaving Trafford and what are you up to these days?
After leaving Trafford FC I floated around quite a bit. I played for FC united of Manchester for a little while which was a great experience, then moved on to Ramsbottom, West Didsbury and Chorlton and most recently I was playing at Wythenshawe town. Nowadays I haven’t actually kicked a ball seriously in a year, I now have a Fiancée and two beautiful little boys and spend most of my time working or with the family.
13. You were recently nominated and voted into Trafford FC’s
All-Time XI – what did that mean to you to you?
It meant everything. I was actually proper nervous when the voting got announced on twitter. Playing for Trafford FC was the highlight of my football career and to be voted into the All-time XI is an absolute honour.
14. Have you been back to Shawe View to watch a game? There’s
been talk of getting a lot of the old players down and getting involved in a friendly game (once
we’re allowed) – it’d be ace to see you down, reminiscing and maybe even putting on a Trafford shirt?
I haven’t been back to Shawe view since I left. I think for
a while it was too painful to go back. I had so many amazing memories at the
club but the way we ended things was pretty bad. I do however plan on bringing
my boys down to the club.
I would love to play in a friendly game, let me try and
get fit first though.
15. 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've always thought
Trafford FC was a brilliantly run club. The people behind the scene made the
club great, from the Browns (Dave, Nick and Matt), Dave Law, Good Old Tin Tin –
the miserable bastard haha, the tea ladies, the supporters club. I have to give
a special mention to Foxy; Trafford FC has always had one of, if not the best football pitch in that step of non-league, he always made sure the pitch was
right for us and he is such a good person as well.
16. I’ve heard rumours you weren’t the best trainer – can you
shed some light on that haha?
Hahahaha where have you heard that?** Jose Mourinho once said
“A great pianist doesn't run around the piano or do push
ups with his fingers. To be great, he plays the piano... being a footballer is
not about running, push-ups or physical work generally. The best way to be a
great footballer is to play.
When it came to training, I always
trained like it was a real match performance. However, I hated pre-season! I
just didn’t believe in running around field or hill to help you get fit. I
needed a ball in front of me to motivate me to run. So, there may have been the
odd occasion during running session with no balls in sight where I would spit
my dummy out, I would always do it, I would just moan about it the whole time I
was doing it.
17. In your time at Trafford, who was the best player you
played with?
The best player I have had the pleasure to share a dressing
room with is Shelton Payne. He could do nearly everything, brilliant finisher,
amazing dribbler, absolutely rapid, could do all this using either foot, made
every player he played against look bad. On his day there is no-one in
non-league who could stop a prime Shelton Payne. However, his attitude and
application let him down. I always believed that if he had the right attitude
to football, he would have made it as a pro easily. I would have loved to have his
footballing ability.
Also, outside of football he was a proper good
guy as well and I'll always think of him as a good friend.
18. Going back to the play-offs; the final that we won on
penalties: firstly, at what point would you have stepped up to take one and
second, what was it like for you watching that?
Haha I think I was either last or second to last, it was out
of me or Tommy Read for last taker.
It was so nerve wracking! I can still remember the feeling of
my heart beating out of my chest and whole body trembling. I definitely
couldn’t have taken one. However, I still felt massively confident in my team
mates because we had been working on penalties the week leading up to the
final, just in case, and all the penalty takers had shown in training why they
were chosen.
19. I feel asking you for your best and worst moments in
football are easy to predict – but do the highs become even more appreciated
once you’ve finished playing and had time to reflect?
Definitely, I still get goosebumps watching the play off
final penalties and reading articles on those 2 seasons. Goody always said you
will appreciate these moments when they are gone. I wish I would have
appreciated them a little more at the time.
20. You’re still only 30. Any plans to ever get back into football or even coaching - you did some with GV back in the day - one of our supporter's kids went regularly and said you were top. Is that something you'd ever be interested in again?
Never say never, If I can lose 3 stone, I would love to get back into football hahaha. Just need to find the time and motivation to get fit. And yes definitely, I thoroughly loved being a part of GV soccer. I just didn’t have enough time to continue helping out. But Coaching is definitely something I want to take up in the future. Seeing the enjoyment in the faces of the kids was priceless!
21. Who, out of the players you played with, would you like
to see do a future '21 Questions With'?
Joe Shaw
Kamahl Whight
Thomas Read
*It was the opening game of the season away to Ossett Albion
**HAHA Just a rumour I heard drunkenly once or twice.
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