DK: First off give us a bit of a background to your career so far?
SA: Sorry If this is too much info however, I started playing for Trimley Red Devil’s under 8’s when I was 6, I then signed for Ipswich when 8 years old, stayed at Ipswich for 10 years got released at 18, had quite a few trials trying to find another club and ended up at Chelmsford for 2 and half years, moved briefly to Needham before signing for Canvey Island. Left Canvey for Sudbury, left then for Felixstowe for the last few months of the season. Then signed for Lowestoft for 4 years but after promotion to conference north couldn’t commit to the travelling as working in Thurrock at the time so signed for Felixstowe again, this coming season will be my 7th at Felixstowe.
DK: What's the highlight of your career so far?
SA: Would have to be winning the FA Youth cup with Ipswich, beating Southampton over 2 legs who’s squad included Bale, Walcott, Dyer, Lallana, Best. I only played 90 mins against Villa in the 5th round up against Agbonlahor and was an unused sub in every other game!
DK: What was it like to play for Ipswich at youth level?
SA: It was brilliant, loved training 3 times a week, Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday with games on Sunday up to u16. Between 16 and 18 in full time every day was every boys dream.
DK: Other than the FA Youth Cup what was the highlight from playing for Ipswich?
SA: We used to go abroad to tournaments which were a lot of fun, we went to Holland a few times and Italy once, I remember playing teams like Ajax, Inter, and Dortmund.
DK: What's the best ground you've played at so far and why?
SA: Has to be Anfield, scored on my 18th birthday trying to defend the Youth Cup (video on you tube).
DK: What was it like competiting against the country's best youth academies there are around?
SA: It was a real test but something the club was good at, we were up there competing with the best in the country 15 years ago, not just my age group but all ages at Ipswich had home nations internationals, it was one of the best academy’s in the country.
DK: In terms of playing senior football what would be the highlight of your career and why?
SA: Its hard to pick from 2, winning the Ryman Legaue with Chelmsford and picking up young player of the year in 2008, or winning the Ryman playoff final with Lowestoft in 2014, if I had to choose I would go with Lowestoft as it was out 4th playoff final in a row, winning at the 4th attempt was a bit of a relief!
DK: What was the standout moment of the league winning campaign with Chelmsford?
SA: Beating AFC Wimbledon at home 3-2 in front over over 3,200 people. They were catching us at the top of the league with games in hand and we were 2-1 down with 10 mins to go, we effectively won the league that day (also on youtube).
DK: What's been the highlight of your time at Felixstowe so far?
SA: Gaining promotion to step 4, the first time in the clubs history. It was with a bit of a whimper as we wanted to win the league to do it but we lost to Coggeshall at home in the penultimate game in front of over 1,500 leaving us runners up even though promotion was our number 1 target at the start of the season.
DK: What's been the standout game during your time at Felixstowe?
SA: Beating Bishops Stortford in the FA Cup in 2016, they were 3 leagues above us and Liam Hillyard scored in the last minute to send us through to the 3rd qualifying round, the furthest the club has ever been.
DK: How do you reflect on the season just gone from both a personal and team perspective?
SA: Personally I thought I played well, I lost a bit of weight over last summer which was needed, I came back for pre season the fittest I had been in years which certainly helped. The management brought new ideas and ways of doing things and there was a huge turnover of players last summer, 7 senior players left for various reasons and we struggled to replace them. I guess others will say we are lucky to stay in this league next year but we were confident had the season of carried on in staying up, we finally had a good enough squad to compete within the last 6 weeks we played.
DK: How have you found being club captain so far?
SA: I've loved 99% of it, being involved with the youth section, having the kids look up to you is great. You have a responsibility to represent the club in the right way and with F&W being my local club it is an honor. The only negative was 'senior players' (and there's no more senior than me), took a lot of stick when the management left last season, supporters, sponsors, board members pointed the finger at us for 'getting them sacked' which certainly was not the case. Those were difficult times but they are far outweighed by the positives of our community club.
DK: What targets do you have looking forward?
SA: I need to lose a bit more weight to keep these old legs going in the short term! The target will be to establish the club at this level for the next few years and I'm sure eventually will look to progress onto step 3, whether that be in 5 or 10 years I don't know but that as to be the target, everything off the pitch is set up for it.
DK: Who's the best player you've played alongside and why?
SA: Jim Magilton, we played together for Ipswich reserves when I was trying to earn another contract, he was excellent, he would always demand the ball, screaming for it wherever he was on the pitch and would always keep it. He used to scare the life out of me on the pitch, but off the pitch the nicest bloke going. His standards were so high in everything he did, including when only just paying for ressies to get fit for the first team again.
DK: Who's the best player you've played against and why?
SA: Cesc Fabregas, was a reserve game against Arsenal before he broke into the first team, he has just signed from Barcelona so eveyrone was talking about him, his range of passing was amazing, he always seemed to have so much time on the ball and no one could get anywhere near him.
DK: If you could pick an XI of all the best players you've played alongside who would you pick and why?
SA: GK - Shane Supple. At Ipswich, was our keeper in the youth cup team, brilliant with hands and feet, was good at Gaelic football which you could certainly see why.
RB - Dan Gleeson, In our promotion winning Lowestoft team, Gleese had a good Pro career, made me laugh every minute off the pitch but then on the pitch a proper leader.
CB - Aidan Collins, was in our youth cup team then joined me whilst I was at Chelmsford and won the league, great in the air, read the game well and banter was decent sometimes.
CB - Greg Crane, Captained our Lowestoft team for a couple of years before moving to coaching at Norwich, read the game so well, excellent with both feet and could start attacks with a 50 yard diagonal.
LB - Curtis Haynes Brown, Played with Curt first at Sudbury where he was a young lad but had outstanding physical abilities, then won promotion with Lowestoft together, can throw the ball further than I can kick it.
RM - Ricky Holmes, at Chelmsford was player of the year when winning the league, quick, tricky hard working winger with 2 great feet, saw him score some ridiculous goals from over 25 yards with both feet.
CM - Jim Magilton, was a hero of mine since the playoffs in 2000 and learnt so much from him about standards in the short time we shared the pitch, he had a decent career.
CM - Owen Garvan, another youth cup winner, came over from Ireland at 16 and his calmness on the ball and range of passing was unreal, could and should of played longer in the Premier League.
LM - Liam Craig, our youth cup captain, work rate, application and desire topped off with a great let foot has made him a good career in Scotland with over 400 appearances.
ST - Jack Defty, he first came on loan to Sudbury and scored something like 7 goals in 3 games, then played together again at Lowestoft, a big target man but with unbelievable ability with the ball too, you couldn't get the ball off him.
ST - Bertie Brayley, our winning Chelmsford team, he won the Youth Cup with West Ham. Was such a hard worker with a brilliant left foot, his finishing was excellent and wouldn't give defenders a second.
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