Yeah, fingers crossed for some good news as I must admit I’ve had enough now. It’s been fine, and I’ve been keeping busy, but there are only so many online quizzes you can do and walks you can go on! I’m missing the social side big time too.

Obviously as club captain you’re meant to lead by example so I imagine you’ve been doing all you can to keep yourself fit?

To be fair, and at risk of sounding like one of those Strava W**kers that people have so kindly been referring to on Twitter, the best thing about Lockdown has probably been the time to get fit and I’ve really enjoyed it. I know a few of the lads I’ve spoke to have been doing the same so hopefully when we get back we will be in good shape.

How much are you missing football?

Yeah I am, a lot. I know that’s an easy thing to say but I miss being about the lads at Ollerton and miss coaching at my school. I can’t wait to get back involved and have a normal weekend where I play Saturday and go out for a few afterwards and then chill out with Super Sunday the next day.

You may have saw that it was recently five years since we last played against Thoresby with you obviously on the opposing side that day. Did you ever think you’d be here now as club captain and part of the furniture at Ollerton?

I guess not at the time with the old local rivalry. I loved playing for Thoresby until it kind of died out but Ollerton was just around the corner and I liked the idea that we could get promoted out of the Central Midlands League if we had a good enough season. We managed that and yeah, here we are and I’m attached to the club.

On the note of furniture, I’d do anything for some new furniture in the club house!

You’re not the only member of your family who plays for us, your sister Emily plays for our ladies team and often comes to watch the first team. Are you quite competitive with each other or is it more a supportive relationship?

Em watches all of our home games with my dad so she’s a loyal supporter. She hasn’t got a bad bone in her body so is definitely supportive but if I’ve been crap she tries to word it politely with something like “I don’t think it was one of your best games.”
In terms of competitiveness, my dad normally jumps in and reminds me the Ladies team have won more trophies than us but I can’t argue with that, they’re a really good side.

You were part of the team that got us promoted to this league and we’ve now been in the NCEL for a few seasons. Personally, how have you found the step up to a higher level? Are you adjusted to it now?

It’s obviously a much more competitive league in general and it’s been great for the club since being in this league, it’s something that must be maintained. There are some good sides and some good lads in the league but at the same time we have had, and have currently got, some really good lads too but we’ve never finished in a position to reflect that in my opinion. On our day we can be brilliant but our Achilles heel has always been consistency.

Leading on from that, how do you think last season went for the team before it came to an end?

It was another Ollerton season in terms of us being down in the bottom half of the league and I am dying for us to shake that habit. We have got some brilliant players right throughout the team and we are capable of finishing higher but as I’ve already said it is consistency for me. If we can address that, we can kick on. Off the pitch, training numbers were much better this year and it was nice to get the under 18s involved.

Were you disappointed to see the remainder of it cancelled? Do you think the right decision was made?

Obviously I would have liked to have finished the season as I feel we were safe so we could try to enjoy the games and it would have been nice to see which of the teams we faced ended up getting promoted. I must admit that when this whole situation started I didn’t really think it would turn out like this but ultimately, with how it’s all ended up, it had to happen.

As discussed before you played in Thoresby v Ollerton games and played for us against the likes of Shirebrook, do you miss having those competitive local derbies to look forward to every season?

Definitely, they are the best games! It seems odd that teams like Clipstone, Rainworth and Shirebrook are so close yet we don’t play them. I was hoping a potential league restructure would help this but then Coronavirus came along so we’ll have to see what happens. Gav King’s late winner against Shirebrook a couple of seasons ago are the sort of moments you want.

There’s been a lot of talk about how the current situation will affect non-league football going forward. If you could change one thing about it ahead of next season, what would it be?

I want the FA to use their heads about which teams are in which league.

We had the under 18’s join us this season and they’ll be making the step up next season as we start a reserves team. How much of a benefit do you think that will be to the club? Have you been impressed by what you’ve seen of the young lads so far?

I think it’s a great move for the club. It will help get some of the young lads experience in the men’s game ready for the natural progression into the first team which plenty of them are capable of. I knew quite a few of the under 18 lads from beforehand and they are a great bunch so I can’t wait to see how they get on, there’s some real good lads in there. They’ve just got to enjoy the challenge next season and we will be behind them.

You’ve helped out a bit coaching with them this season, and you’re obviously involved with coaching a school team in your job, has the thought of stepping into management once you’re done playing crossed your mind or has seeing how stressed Dave gets put you off?

Haha! I’m hoping Dave has used this time off to reflect on his sideline antics and will come back with a new outlook on life in the dugout. He’s got a heart of gold off the sideline, just turns a bit nuts when that whistle goes! I love coaching the young lads at school so it is definitely something I will do more of when I stop playing.