[FM13] Guisborough Town - From Rags to Riches

[HurricaneNDP]

Imagine standing in the terraces at your local club, imagine standing in terraces at any club, and you'll feel like you're watching football, real football, football played by those driven by passioin for the game, not by the money they'll earn. Now imagine standing infront of those same terraces, standing infront of your teams fans, managing your local club, how many can say they've had that chance?

The majority of the 2011/2012 season saw Darlington in the papers, on the tv, all over the internet, Darlington had finally succumbed to adminstration, and ultimately went into liquidation, the big news coming out of all of this was how badly the club were done by, being put right down into the Northern League Division One, as if it was some kind of dirty league, maybe Darlington were hard done by, but they were in no way going to be shown any kindness by any of the current leagues teams.

For years Spennymoor have ran this division, but this year they have contenders, Celtic Nation are throwing money around, and Darlington are here too, moneys tight at other clubs, these have to be the favourites.

I've been out of football coaching for just over a year now, my nephew's joined a local under 7's team, i'm starting to get that itch to go back, but i can't be sure i'd like it, i'm settled in my new job for now, maybe in a few years time when i'm nearer the end of my twenties i'll change my mind, or maybe i'll help out with one or two sessions here and there?

Those one or two sessions became one or two a week, which soon turned into 2 and a game a week, which soon turned to me becoming a full time coach at the club, the itch was back.

June came around, Guisborough Town were running low on funds, as were many other NL sides, they had just parted with their manager, jokingly myself and a friend put our CV's forward for the vacant position, turns out that there hadn't been much interest in the post, and our interviews were scheduled for the following week!

I felt mine went poorly, my qualifications? FA Level One in coaching, hardly anything to sniff at, anyone could pick up that type of qualification! A week went by, then two, I had started to forget all about my little joke until the phone rang, informing me i'd been hired, if i still wanted the job!

My first managerial position, aged just 24, did they know what they were getting themselves in for? More to the point, did I? With no money, 4 players on the books and a half assembled backroom staff had i bitten off more than i could chew?