DK: First off, what inspired you to be a manager?
WS: That’s a difficult question to start with!
There’s a mix of reasons firstly seeing some bad managers/coaches right at the bottom adult grassroots football. Shouting screaming and generally being negative, being narrow minded tactically and not giving youngsters a chance. Seeing youngsters all sat on the bench or running the line. Something I hate is often youngsters first experience of adult football is often running the line.
Secondly having a group of mates back then around 20 wanting to play together and there was a bit of pressure to give it a go!
Lastly, when I was chatting to other players and managers being told you can’t be competitive or successful playing all youngsters in a team. That really put the bit between my teeth. Really wanted to go show people what could be done.
DK: Tell us about your coaching/managing career so far (clubs you've worked for and noteable achievements at each)
WS: Well it in 2007/8 I coached at Waveney Youth U9 for approximately 3 years but after completing my apprenticeship. at work commitments meant I was staying away from home and couldn’t commit as much time.
After a few years out of coaching things settled down at work and with a bit of peer pressure I created a team in the Lowestoft and District league for the 13/14 season made up of mainly mates and close friends.
Over the next 4 season, two promotions (one as champions one as runners up) a cup final, creation of a reserve side and a 4th place finish in the highest division followed.
The hunger and ambition to coach higher grew with time. However the boundaries/hurdles in taking the club higher (ground regulations and costs mainly) meant i had to leave the club I created behind and look for a new challenge.
Over that summer of 2017 George Millington (then first team manager of Waveney first) called and asked me to coach the first and reserve sides. With both sides being in the Anglian combination and a significant jump I leaped at the opportunity and after a successful pre-season a management shakeup 8-9 games into the season see me become Waveney Reserves Manager. A challenging time see the reserves stabilise under my management going from bottom 4/5 to top 4/5 but running out of games to gate crash the promotion party. Progress continued over the close season on and off the pitch and a solid 18-19 season see Waveney reserves get to both quarter finals of Senior Reserve & League Cups (losing both on pens) whilst also gaining promotion with a lot of U18s /younger players present throughout the season.
A disagreement over the close season behind the scenes unfortunately see me part companies with Waveney. It was a difficult time for me and if I’m honest it hit pretty hard.
I was really enjoying my management/coaching. The senior players I met at Waveney where a great bunch and a lot of effort was put in personally behind the scenes off the pitch.
That effort off the pitch was rewarded with Waveney’s Volunteer of the year 18/19.
I firmly believed I could of got Waveney Reserves back to back promotions and really pushed on with a young hungry side with a few experienced heads mixed in.
A little break followed and several opportunities come and went with none really igniting the fire within to get back into management/coaching.
A conversation with then 1st team manager of Leiston Ian Cornforth took place during late September/early October in 2019. Things went really well and I was offered the managers position of Leiston Reserves. I’ve never looked back after that. The players, coaches, committee members I’ve come across have been a great and I feel we have started building something terrific and taking big steps forward. It’s been a real challenge but it’s been largely throughly enjoyable!
I am grateful to George Millington and Ian Cornforth for the opportunities in football they have given me.
DK: If you could pick a standout moment with each club you've coached so far, which would you pick and why?
WS: Erm tricky one again.
Back to back promotions with pot black the side I created was a proud moment to to prove it was a good side and not a one off and having started with nothing.
Waveney for sure though would be promotion in my first full season.
Leiston I’ve only been there a short time but feel a lot of U18s have made progress. We have also had some good results against top sides Lakenheath probably being the pick/highlight being 2-0 & 4-2 down coming back to win 5-4.
DK: What's the best ground you've worked at so far and why?
WS: Clipbush Park - Fakenham Town FC, Great facilities, Great People, Great Fans.
DK: How do you reflect on your time at Leiston so far and how do you feel the season went whilst you were in charge?
WS: My time at Leiston have been terrific overall so far. Admittedly there has been some really challenging moments where I’ve doubted myself or ability but I’m not one for giving up or to be beaten. However, the committee are great, the players are all talented and hungry for success. I’ve met some great people. It was a real turbulent year with 4 changes of first team management. Overall I maintained league position whilst playing top half sides. Few good results in the mix too. It’s a bit gutting really because we had 12 games left and all apart from one or two all where bottom half sides so feel there was a great chance of picking up a lot of points in the run in. I have learned so much about the league, the players, the teams we where playing against it was a real challenge and a steep learning curve but puts us in great place for next season.
DK: What targets do you have looking forward to next season?
WS: I’m a very ambitious person so I have my own targets and club targets!
We have one of the youngest sides in the division with generally an average age of U20 for most games.
Personally people keep telling me that you can’t be competitive in this league with a young side. So I want to prove that theory wrong and finish in the top 8 whilst being competitive week in weekout.
The club priority though to create a great environment to learn and develop young players, progressing them to the first team.
Combining those too things mean I want Leiston Reserves to be the best side to learn and develop at step 6 in the area outside the professional game whilst being competitive in the league week in week out.
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