Josh Stevens discusses his career so far, from youth to his first taste of senior football with Whitton United.
JS: U16’s I played for Wormley, which just playing with my mates allowed me to have fun and have no pressure on myself , then I played for Stevenage's academy.
I was thankful to the manger at the time Dave Bell who when I got released at 14 (I was going to give it a year out of playing and just referee) just said sign on and play when you want too.
After these two years, of getting the enjoyment back, I wanted to get back to more competitive football. My old Manager Richard Finch then asked me to join Ware FC, in the EJA league, which I was glad to accept.
We then won the league cup that year, at U17. The year later we won the county cup where I scored the winning goal, and we won the league cup as well.
At U18, we made it to the 1st round proper of the FA youth cup where we lost in in extra time to Stevenage 😡, I also played a year with Ware's, U21s whilst still U18.
I also went to a football college at Ware as well at U17 and U18 level.
I then went to University in Ipswich, where my Grandad's work mate said that I should play for Whitton Reserves with his son.
On my debut, for Whitton's Reserves, I scored 4 goals. After which Shane Coldron the first team manger asked me to play for the first team, in the league cup, in which I scored in the fiat few minutes on my debut, after which I was then in the first team after that!
That year we won the league cup and got promoted in my first year of Adult football. Played all my men’s football for Whitton United.
Personally, I think going to the football college was the best decision I made. Sam Bayford was one of the tutors and the coach, he is the best coach I have ever been taught by.
DK: What's the highlight of your career so far?
JS: Probably winning the cup and getting promoted first year in men’s footy, That’s was a great year.
DK: If you could relive any game from your career so far which one would you pick and why?
JS: There’s a couple, first games for the reserves, where we were 4-0 down at half time, the other team mocking us. We then came back and drew 5-5 and I scored 4 goals (I should of won it at the end, not that I remember it well 👀), the other was also that year where we beat our rivals Framlington 4-3 at home where I came on and scored the winner at the death.
5-5 game was mental, weather was awful.
They were all other us in the first half, they could of scored most attacks. I remember there CB, just talking trash talk, when they were 3-0 up.
It got worse and worse when they scored the other goals. As the half time whistle went, and we were walking in, one of there first team playing who was playing on the main pitch, asked that CB what the score was, and he said 4-0. They both laughed and kept mocking us saying we should just call it now before it gets worse for us.
One thing you should never do, is give me extra motivation to beat you, I thrive when they do this. I just said to the players who I just met on the day, “look, we can’t play any worse than we have, they are all mocking us and making fun of us. I know my pride has taken a dent from this, but I’m not going to let it get worse, I’m going out there to put pride in to my performance and to show I not going to allow them to make us look like kids out there. All we need to think about, is getting one goal at a time, then they’ll start to panic, so who's with me?"
They all cheered and we went out there and got one back early, which gave us all confidence, I scored the goal. They were still giving us a bit of banter, when we scored the second, you could see the panic start to sink in to there faces, Which was priceless.
They scored to make it 5-2, it we never stopped attacking them, and when we equalised, it was a great feeling, but I believed we could win as was still a few minutes to go. I had a chance at the end to lob the keeper but didn’t manage to scored. And the final whistle went, I wish I had that chance again. That was against Haverhill.
The other game was against Framlington, we were fighting at the time for promotion and potentially the title with them.
I started on the bench, the game was great for a neutral. Both teams attacking, both teams trying to score, Can’t remember how the score line went. Throughout the game though Night game, always love a night game, good amount of people for our level of football, I think I came on when we were losing 3-2 and Shane put me on the wing and said stay as high as you can when possible. This was due to us wanting needing to win the game. I believe I helped set up the equaliser where Liam Wales scored. There was about 5/10 mins left after that goal. Asked the ref how long, he said in to added time, 3 minutes left.
I remember Josh Hitter, receiving the ball, just in there half and ran at them, He beat one then another. And broke in to the box on the right side, I sprinting in to towards the back post, he spotted me and fizzed the ball across where I manage to tuck it away! Absolute scenes where I ran towards the corner flag and done a knee slide 😂, Everyone jump on me and bundle me, great feeling knowing I just won the game And my mum came up to watch me that night as well.
DK: How have you found your time Whitton so far?
JS: But what a club to play for, Great people in and around the club! Always friendly to me and made me welcome when I joined. The players are brilliant, great mix of people who are good players and love a bit of fun to in and around the club. The Manager Shane and Knotty are good people to have as coaches, Tell you straight if your doing your job or not which I like.
DK: How do you reflect on the season just gone from both a personal and team perspective?
JS: Umm started of slow as didn’t start playing till I came to uni in mid to late September, So took a bit of time to get up and running. Then we got a few injuries to our strikers, and I started a few games in a row scoring a few goals on the way and going unbeaten for four games. Then had a ankle injury during a game against Walsham le Willows in the cup, which put me out for 8 games. So had to start from scratch again, I.e fitness and striker picking order Was to hard to get in the starting 11 again, think I only started a few games in the 12 games before footy was stop due to covid 19, Personally, I done below average on what I know I can do in my own ability. Team wise, we had an up and down year. Started off badly, then had a good run of games only losing 2 in 10 games. Then had a rough time as went 9 without a win, Then went 12 unbeaten as a team Before losing what ended up being our last game of the season.
DK: How did you find playing in the Thurlow Nunn League, what was it like?
JS: Playing in these leagues was great for my own experience on men’s footy. I don’t have the best view on how competitive these leagues are as have only played in these leagues. Teams seem to be tactically sound and competitive, as I believe in right in saying two of our league team made it to the last 16 or 8 in the FA Vase.
DK: What targets to do you have looking forward to next season?
JS: At the moment it’s had to say, as we don’t know when we will start and or how long of the season we will have if any, I don’t know at the moment where I will be playing my football. As Shane is keen to keep me playing for Whitton, which will be hard for as I have finished my studies up at uni in Ipswich. I don’t know if I can commit to Whitton being an hour and a half away from Whitton, On my targets, if we play, I would like to get in the started line up consistently for what team I play for - I would like to score 15 + goals for the season. Hard for me to commit when living in Hertfordshire, Hoddesdon.
DK: What's your favourite ground you played at this season and why?
JS: Ely, Thetford and Norwich were nice to play at But my favourite had to be Stowmarket.
I don’t know if it’s got a slight advantage being the atmosphere was great and being we wanted to try to be the first team to beat them in the league I don’t know, but it was my favourite, we drew 1-1.
DK: If you could pick a 5 aside team out of the Whitton players you played with who would you pick and why?
JS: Lewis Higgins in goal.
Josh Hubert for the energy, defending and the aggression.
Ethan Clark, quick, powerful with the ball, great left foot and good knowledge of the game.
Josh Hitter, great on the ball, makes things happen, playmaker.
Jamie Cole, top scorer since I’ve been there, powerful, score we both feet.
Honourable mentions go to: Kevin Inglis, Liam Wales, Lloyd Clarke and Duane Wright.
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