DK: To start things off, could you give us some insight and background to your career so far (clubs played for & notable achievements)?
TA: Firstly, As a kid I came through the ranks of Ipswich, Dagenham and Yeovil academy before being denied a scholarship at Yeovil due to the Academy having to fold because of a money crisis.... I then joined west Suffolk college captaining the college team in which ‘Wilks’ (Richard Wilkins) was the manager and started to play for the first team of Bury Town at 17. I played for 4 years before moving on to Sudbury in which I was there for a season and a half before moving back to Bury. I then moved to Coggeshall Town and I am still with the club at present. I also captained my county (Suffolk) at 18 and we lost in a county cup final to Lancashire at Portman Road!
Notable achievements funnily enough are two relegations, one with Bury town and one with Sudbury 😂.
Last year for Coggeshall we were able to make it into the play offs in which we lost in the semi final to Maldon and Tiptree.
DK: What was it like playing for those academies growing up?
TA: It’s every young boys dream really to be seen as “the best of the best” within your area or just that particular team in general.
So It was a good time however I feel that nowadays academies are too protected and sugar coated.... I respect the academies that send their players on loan to clubs in non-league such as Bury Town. For example I honestly believe that loan spell for Jack Lankester when he came to us at Bury Town was the best thing to happen to his career
DK: How did you find your time (across your two spells) at Bury?
TA: Bury was a great club and will always have a place in my heart! The fans, the people and management done nothing but good to me. It’s a shame because I believe that have they right credentials to push on.
DK: What would you say was the standout moment from your time at Bury?
TA: This is one I tell people all the time.... Lewes away, I was 17 soon to be 18 and I was on the bench it was 10 minutes in and Dev (Daniel Cunningham) got injured. I hadn’t warmed up or anything and Wilks turns to me out of everyone and said “get your stuff on, you’re going on”. We were 1-0 down and just before half time I think I probably scored the best goal I’ve ever scored. From just outside the box I hit it top bins and then went on to have a great game and in the end we won 4-1. Then the next day I went to play for the under 18s (captain at the time) and I played the worst I’ve ever played and missed a penalty late on to bring the game level to 4-4 😂😂!
DK: If you had to pick one season whilst a Bury that stands out more than any other, which one would you pick?
TA: That’s a tough one! Playing wise the last season I played after joining back because I started to develop more and play the positions I wanted to.... however I think the first or second season I played with I was 18 our team was just soo good! I have no idea how we then went on to get relegated.
DK: How did you find your time at Sudbury, tell us a bit about that?
TA: My time at Sudbury was probably managerial wise the best because Andy Reynolds and Jamie godbold had it set up very professionally and are very professional in the way that they coach.... it was such a shame that they were let go the time that they were because our team had unbelievable potential. We all still talk about it to this day.
DK: What was the standout moment from your time at Sudbury?
TA: Anybody that was at Sudbury at the time would tell you the exact same.... we went away to five lakes for a preseason camp and it was just a great time all round, team bonding, quality of football and the banter was class.
Also when I scored away to Truro in the FA Cup.
DK: How have you found your time at Coggeshall so far?
TA: Again I have no bad word to say about coggeshall, I feel like it’s the place I’ve felt the most comfortable and fitted in the most! It’s a place to build and grow as a person and player so I’m hoping for great things to come with the club.
DK: What's been the highlight during your time at the club?
TA: The trip away in the FA cup to Weston super mare.... we should have won that game and they were 2 leagues above us. Also definitely the play offs.... I’ve never been involved in a play off game but everything about that game is the reason I love being competitive and being involved in games with something at stake (even though we lost) again 1-0.
DK: What was it like to make the play offs?
TA: It’s the highlight of my non-league career! Just the anticipation and the build up to the game was something I was never lucky enough to feel. It was devastating losing but it was a pleasure to be involved in it!
DK: How do you reflect on the season just gone from both a personal and team perspective?
TA: It’s possibly been my best season becoming captain of Coggeshall and having that responsibility! This season (that never happened) 😂 we didn’t have the best start but we were now swinging the season back in our favour with the squad and the togetherness so it’s a shame it came to a end prematurely. However the safety of us is definitely priority!
DK: If you had to pick your top 3 best goals you've scored, which ones would you pick and why?
TA: First would be the first goal I scored for bury town away at lewes... this is because it was such a good goal away from home in front of a crowd of around 800 and it turned the game on its head.
Secondly would be the goal I scored in the fa cup away at Truro! I was in good form under new management and it was 10 minutes into the game and I scored to make it 1-0.
Thirdly would be my goal in against Felixstowe and Walton because it was an overhead karate kick type move 😂.
DK: What's the best ground you've played at and why?
TA: Billericay! The atmosphere and just how daunting they try to be is incredible.
DK: Who's the best player you've played alongside and why?
TA: Now that is a very tough one! I could pick a lot of people for all different reason but I’ll have to go for Nnamdi for the simple fact of I’ve seen him do things in a football match not many can do.
DK: Who's the best player you've played against and why?
TA: Wow! Again very very tough there’s been a lot of players that stand out like Ashley Carew who plays for dulwich hamlet however for a personal battle.... Nicky wheeler! When he was at tonbridge angles I used to DREAD coming up against him and to be honest Joe Benjamin.
DK: Who would make up the team of the all time best players you've played alongside and why?
TA: GK - Marcus Garnham.
Was with him at bury and at Sudbury and honestly the best keeper around.
Right back - Tyler French
What. A. Player. Also the fastest player I’ve ever played with.
Centre back - Tom Bullard
Just literally bully’s everyone 😂.
Centre back - Conner Hall
Again.... What. A. Player. The reason he is playing at the level he is today! He deserves pro football.
Left back - Seb Dunbar without a doubt the best left back around closely followed by Curtis Haynes-brown and Joe Claridge.
CDM - Noel Aitkens
This isn’t biased because he is like a brother to me he just has potential and talent like I’ve never seen before and glides through players like they’re not there.
CDM - Jake Turner
This guy is the non-league lampard and gerrard put together (I’m not exaggerating) such an all round midfielder.
CM - George Cocklin this because I’ve played alongside some greats including: John Kennedy, Russell short and Connor Hubble so it was a very hard decision but George and I had a connection and shared the same hunger and desire but he just had an unreal range of passing also.
RW - Nnamdi Nwachuku
A player in non-league that ANYBODY would hate to come up against... scored some unbelievable goals and terrorise defences.
ST - now this is soo tough because goal scoring wise it has to be Josh Mayhew it Sam Bantick BUT overall I think Ross wall is the best I’ve played with for the simple fact that he honestly does so much unnoticed work for the team and there isn’t a game I’ve seen in 2 seasons where a defender has had the better of him.
LW - Adam mills
Adam Mills has scored some outrageous goals and honestly he is another player that should be playing higher than he is! Everyone that has played with or against him knows this is the case. He could never get past me when I was playing right back though bless him!
DK: What targets do you have looking forward?
TA: My targets are to gain and promotion or win a trophy... it’s been a long time coming I would like to have the feeling of winning again! I am still young so going up the leagues is also a target however I am also a realist therefore it isn’t something I chase.... I will continue to try and do the best that I can do and see where it takes me in the future.
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