(FM17) Many in Men, One in Spirit

[Drogba11CFC]

Many in Men, One in Spirit

 

Perhaps I should introduce myself. My name is George Spencer, and since I was nine, the City Ground at Winchester has been like a second home to me.

 

I was born in 1990, and took an interest in football from an early age. My father supported Sheffield Wednesday, but I became interested when I was 6, when I watched Gianfranco Zola bamboozle Julian Dicks on TV. I wanted to go to Stamford Bridge, but the expense (even with my father's salary) and the distance meant that somewhere closer to home was needed. And by “closer to home” I meant Abbots Barton, not the Dell.

 

I first went in 1999, when the club were playing in the now-defunct Hampshire League, and watched as the club rose through the divisions into the Wessex League. I will always remember being at St Andrews on 16^th May 2004 when the club, in their finest hour, beat AFC Sudbury 2-0 to win the FA Vase; the first time a team from Hampshire had won it. We were the only team from Hampshire with an FA Vase until Sh*ling won it in 2014 (having voluntarily dropped down from the Southern League for an easy trophy, but I digress).

 

I left school in 2008 with respectable A-Level results and took an office job at the council. I had also been a starting midfielder for the school team, and began playing for Winchester City in the 2008/09 season, making 15 appearances and scoring 3 goals. However, the season ended controversially, as we were docked 3 points for fielding an ineligible player and relegated to the Wessex League by one goal. 2009/10 saw a mediocre Wessex League campaign which led to a 10^th-place finish, before the 10/11 season – my best in a City shirt, with 33 appearances and 12 goals – saw a 3^rd place finish behind Poole Town and Bemerton Heath Harlequins under former Tottenham defender Guy Butters. 11/12 proved even better for the club, but I was unable to make a more significant impact as injuries began to niggle at me throughout the season as Jamie White's goals saw the club sweep virtually everyone aside, including a 9-0 win at Hayling and 8-0 wins home and away against Brading, eventually notching up 104 points and a goal difference of +99.

 

2012/13 was a disaster. Top of the league after 5 games, the club virtually collapsed as players left for pastures new and the funds dried up. Lack of players saw me forced to play week in and week out as the club picked up just three points between November and March – a 2-1 win at Abingdon United. The club nearly folded before Paul Murray, Dave Malone and Terry Bone stepped in – with a substantial input from fans who'd been exiled by the then-owner raising funds and local MP Steve Brine also stepping in to ensure Winchester would still have a football team (for which he would be given the position of vice president on the management committee). Their future secured, the club celebrated by hosting a free game – in which they lost 3-1 to Bridgwater in a downpour. However, the club took 7 points from their last three home games, including a 2-1 win over 5^th -placed Paulton Rovers, to see out the season on a high. However, I decided to call time on my playing career.

 

2013-14 saw the club reorganise and finish 5^th in the Wessex League before a certain Warren Bentley came to the club from Alresford. 14/15 proved to be quite the adventure, as we reached the 3^rd qualifying round of the FA Cup for the first time in 59 years. Despite a slow start which saw us finish second to Petersfield Town, the resignations of Flackwell Heath (travel) and Sh*ling (ground not up to scratch) saw us promoted via the back door to the Southern League. Tipped for relegation, we – and Warren Bentley – had other ideas, and we went 5-0 up against Bridgwater in 42 minutes on the first day of the season. Despite not making the same stage in the FA Cup (due to a last-minute Maidenhead equaliser) we reached the final of the Hampshire Senior Cup (beating Eastleigh 2-1 along the way) and finished 5^th in the table, pipping Evesham to the final play-off spot. However, the club ran out of steam, losing 1-0 at Banbury in the semi-finals. Banbury would later win the final, before a furious row between Cinderford Town and Evesham United erupted as Cinderford (who had gone up as champions) tried to refuse promotion, causing Evesham to be moved to the Northern League and thus potentially miss out on a money-spinning visit from the newly-reborn Hereford. Evesham were reinstated on appeal and Cinderford went up.

Despite the fact that he had led City to a play-off place, manager Paul Masters left the club in June following a disagreement over the budget with Chairman Paul Murray, who felt that the club could not realistically compete with Salisbury and Hereford. Ian Saunders was poached from Petersfield, but a week into the job, he was hospitalised with a minor heart attack, and this is where I come in.

[Drogba11CFC]

“Who's George Spencer?”

 

That was the question on the lips of most Southern League fans as the news was announced that I'd been appointed Winchester City manager. Some people thought it a bold move, others (mostly from Wimborne) thought that it would all end in relegation. Ian Saunders, recovering in hospital, sent out a message on Facebook urging the players to get behind their new manager.

 

I was interviewed by Paul Murray before having a brief chat with assistant manager Jason Hampson, who gave me advice on squad depth.

 

Firstly, however, the media were waiting, and I was only too eager to meet them. Or rather, him.

 

“Do you feel that your ambitions are matched by the chairman?” asked Kevin McGoldrick from the Non-League Paper.

 

“Oh yes”, I replied, “I feel that he has the club's best interests at heart and it's good for a non-league club to have such a chairman.”

 

“Aren't you a bit young though? I mean, 26, you'd expect someone your age to still be playing.”

 

“That's a valid point, but I don't think age is that much of an issue. It's not as though they've appointed a 16-year-old who took Woking from the National League to the Champion's League in six seasons on Football Manager.”

 

This drew a few laughs.

 

He continued, “You spent your playing career at Winchester City. As such, do you think that this is an advantage?”

 

“Hopefully,” I said, “But management is different from playing, and it'll be a whole new ball game.”

 

“Obviously being from Winchester you know the area, do you consider that an advantage?”

 

“Indeed I do, we all come from the same place so hopefully it'll be an advantage.”

 

“New managers often bring upheaval, and some players might fear for their positions. Any comment?”

 

“Everyone will get a chance to prove their worth.”

 

“Are you likely to delve into the transfer market?”

 

“Yes, I have a few targets in mind.”

 

“How do you see your management style?”

 

“Players will be able to come to me with anything.”

 

“Will you be concentrating on getting good league results?”

 

“Yes, but I wouldn't say no to a cup run.”

“Do you think you can control players like Matt Sumner?

 

“I don't think it's fair to comment on individual players just yet.”

 

“OK Mr Spencer, thank you for the interview. Good luck for the rest of the season.”

 

I looked at the pre-season friendlies when I got home. Poole at home, followed by trips to Chalfont St Peter, Badshot Lea and Hamble Club. Time to check out those players Jason had recommended to me...

[tenthreeleader]

Welcome back! A good start with another good LLM tale.

[mark wilson27]

As tenthree said welcome back, its always good to see older writers coming back to our part of the forum. Looking forward to seeing some more of your work