We were 16th when it all came to an end. How do you evaluate our season?

It wasn’t great if I’m honest. I was bitterly disappointed with a lot of our results. We expected a lot better from the season. Our performances were nowhere near in some games and in others we were outstanding but they were few and far between.
We made a poor start and didn’t win a game in August before being embarrassed in the FA Vase by South Normanton. It took us until mid October to put in a consistent performance when we beat Brigg 5-0, then we had the trouble with the lights against North Ferriby and Retford plus the game that never was against Skegness. In fact, it took us until mid January to win again and after that we had a decent three or four weeks but then by the end we had lost to Brigg, Dronfield and Harrogate. To only win seven out of twenty-six games was not good enough and not what we envisaged.
One area which was pleasing was our defence and goalkeeping situation. The stats show that we were 6th in terms of goals conceded but 15th in terms of goals scored.
On a positive note, training was a lot better this season with a good attendance helped by having the under 18s with us.

This season saw Lee Needham join you and Bodle in the dug out. What has he brought to the club since joining? He’s said that you’re angrier than him on the touchline, what do you make of that?

He’s been a good addition. He’s a nice bloke who knows his way around the league and who also has player contacts from working where he does and living in a different area to me and Steve. Me and Lee differ in terms of the type of players we like, I’d choose Paul Gascoigne when he likes Vinnie Jones!
Lee knows the horrible side of the game but has a real passion for winning, he has a no nonsense approach and if I had a pound for every time Lee told me we need some “dogs of war”, I’d be well on my way to retirement.
In all seriousness, it’s good having the three of us. They question my thinking on a daily basis, they challenge team selections and ideas. That’s the way it should be. Once it’s decided though we all know then that we work from the same page.
Lee is angrier than me! Honestly. He’s cost me a couple of yellow cards!

Have you allowed yourself to look ahead to next season yet? There’s obviously lots of uncertainty around when that will actually be.

Not at all, not personally anyway. I know Lee has spoke to a couple of players and Steve has started looking at some dates for pre-season friendlies. Of course we’ve planned training dates in just in case but I’m always cautious of getting told off by the Twitter police! I find it amusing that certain clubs are trying to do things early but are being called out by other clubs on social media. It’s a load of nonsense. Clubs should be able to do what they please and when they please as long as it’s in line with government guidelines.
It would be marvellous to keep our current squad together but that doesn’t usually happen so we will have to wait and see.

Next year will see the ten year anniversary of you taking charge of the club. Firstly, did you ever think you’d hit that landmark and secondly, where would you like the team to be by the end of next season?

Wow, ten years! Do I get a testimonial game and dinner? I certainly didn’t think I would be here still but honestly, the club, committee, volunteers, players and of course supporters are all fantastic. Ollerton is a special place to play or be involved in football. It’s a proper footballing community full of decent folk.
Of course I’d love us to be challenging for something. I’m not suggesting we will be though and I understood several years ago that there are a lot more losers in football than winners, even more so when it comes to managers. On a personal level, if we are challenging and doing well then wonderful but if we’re mid-table or near the bottom then we know we’ll have to sort that out.
Until we as a club are in a position to secure funding, it’s vital we stay at step 6. We have to be realistic. You need a decent budget these days to compete. Many budgets will be very different next season due to businesses struggling after all this so you never know, it may become more of a level playing field.