SCOTT DAVIES - THE ONE YEAR (AND A BIT) ANNIVERSIARY INTERVIEW

Printed in the National League South game v Maidstone United Saturday 20th January 2024  We won 2-1 in front 1054

                                       Pic by https://twitter.com/darthscrote

He's the highest placed player-manager in the pyramid, saved us from what looked like nailed on relegation last season and took us to the first round of the FA Cup. Not bad for first year as a manager.

Have you enjoyed the past year and a bit as a manger?

"It’s certainly been a huge change in my day to day life since taking over as the manager of the football club. There was once upon a day when my phone didn’t ring and all I had to think about was my Monday to Friday job and turning up at training on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Now it’s a lot different.

“The phone is constantly ringing, on average I would say between 40-50 calls a day, but at its worst it was 110! Constantly thinking about our next opponent, watching games, figuring out who we are going to pick to play, talking to the management team with regards to their opinions. It’s very full on so when we do achieve 3 points on a Saturday afternoon or a Tuesday night it’s a great feeling that the hard work has paid off.

“For me, I expected to become a manager in a few years time at a much lower level where I could earn my stripes and hopefully progress, so this has fast forwarded all of my plans. I’ve realised since day one what a great opportunity this has been for me, hence why I try and do it to the best of my ability with no stone being left unturned.”

Where does Slough Town rank in your football achievements

“It’s very different looking at my career at Slough because now I look at it in two ways, as a player and as a manager. As a player I’ve loved being at the club under Bakes and Unders, all the way through to this present day.

“With it being my first managerial role, when I look at this seasons FA Cup run, that ranks extremely high in my career highlights so far. It was a proud moment for us all which created some fantastic memories for everyone and it’ll be something that I won’t forget.”

You mentioned Slough saved your life in one FA Cup radio interview – can you elaborate a bit more for those that don't know your story

“Sure. It’s quite straightforward and not too complicated. Having been a full time footballer for a period of time, I felt as though as I was playing football without really enjoying it, it became more of a job than something I loved doing. I’d played for a number of non-league clubs before Slough but never really had the ‘buzz’ like I do now and that’s thanks to Bakes and Unders. I really enjoyed playing under them and it allowed me to love football against like it was a hobby. At one point I felt as though the love I had for the game had completely fallen away but fortunately now, that couldn’t be any further from the truth as I’m obsessed by the game these days. People make football enjoyable, staff, team mates and fans, and at Slough it’s full of brilliant people who enable that to happen.”

There seems to be a real bond between the players, management and the supporters - how important is that to the success of the club

“Huge. I’ve never been one to shy away from conversations with people at football clubs. I hate the thought of it being ‘us’ and ‘them’, we need to be united. I often remind the lads that we are the fortunate ones who get to represent the club on the behalf of the supporters so we have to represent it with pride, which I believe we do more often than not.

I’m a massive people’s person and always have been so I like to think there’s no hierarchy at the club where people see myself, the staff and players as unapproachable. I doubt there are many other clubs at this level where the players know a lot of the fans by name, and that’s great!”

Favourite game you played in

“My favourite game would have to be Ebbsfleet at home or Kings Lynn away. Ebbsfleet for different reasons now that I am managing, so to get through to the FA Cup First Round was special, but Kings Lynn was some day!”

And best free kick?

“Would have to be Grimsby because of the occasion but from a technical point of view, I would say Farnborough was the most difficult.”

Who in the Slough team would you choose to be stuck on an island with

“Yella is a really emotional person so if I didn’t pick him, he would have a go at me! I think we would have a laugh so that would be good fun! Out of the players I’d go with Josh. He’s intelligent enough to start a fire, catch some food and cook it for me. I think the rest would struggle!”

And finally, Sue asked whose your favourite club shopper manager

“Definitely Sue. What a diamond she is!”

Thanks Scott for a very entertaining first year. Here’s to many more.

SOMETHING UNIQUE

Printed in the National League South game v Taunton Town Saturday 6th January 2024. We won 3-0 in front of 947

I love Christmas, the only time we get to close our community garden for a few weeks; where the football comes thick and fast, where you forget what day it is, have no deadlines, have time to read books – and get to eat an amazing Christmas dinner at my mums with all her hundreds of grandchildren. Then its my birthday Boxing Day football feast with a curry with family and the Shiel mafia to finish it all off.

One of the books I’ve been reading is Sir Bob Murray, ‘I’d do It All Again’, a biography about a boy from the coalfields and steelworks of Consett, supporting Sunderland. Struggling at school and unemployed he eventually finds his feet and makes his millions from kitchens, to becoming chairman of his boyhood club. But it’s more than just about a tale of rags to riches, its about a man who cares deeply about his football club and has pride in the places and people that surround it. This spurs him on and thanks to his new found wealth and tenacity, he builds the Stadium of Light, an Academy and the Beacon of Light for the Foundation of Light, and independent charity that helps over 20,000 people a year. These successes led him to be asked to take charge of the stalled Wembley stadium project and St. Georges Park. It really is some story with his vision and passion – but also the many knocks and set backs that you especially encounter from running a football club.

Sunderland are really a Premier League club but are Hampton and Richmond? Their sharp suited new owners have transformed the club, they are second in the league, crowds are up and average age of supporters down. But talking about becoming financially sustainable (Hampton lost £345,000 in 2022/23) getting promoted to the Football League, even the Champions League! I’m sorry but I think that’s delusional with so much nearby competition. How many Hampton fans support Brentford as well? How do Hampton hold onto what makes them unique without eventually just mimicking a poorer version of Brentford?

Surely, that’s the million dollar question: how do you retrain that unique selling point, that friendliness, that draws people to lower league football when you power up the leagues? We’ve experienced at Bromley how one of the National League high flyers who wax lyrical about community, treats away fans. Whereas National League South newcomers Aveley rolled out the red carpet. Yes I was served the worst cheesy chips ever, but their aircraft hanger clubhouse is what we should have had at Arbour Park (our bar is more an aircraft lounge) and their stewards said we were the best supporters they’d had all season. They practically wheeled their bins out for us to hit!

You wonder how teams like Aveley can increase their crowds when they are out on a public transport limb in the middle of nowhere. They made a flying start to the campaign, but have faltered lately thanks to bigger clubs signing up their best players. While some braved the bus me and Spreadsheet Stu stopped at Rainham village first for a couple of beers before jumping in a cab. A church dominates the village while chicken and chips dominates the shops. They are down to their last pub and Rainham Town football club folded in 1994. Infact this part of Essex hasn’t been great for local football teams many of whom have led a nomadic existence. East Thurrock went bust and Romford – who’ve been homeless for years – have moved in, even though its half an hour from the town they represent. Thurrock dissolved in 2018 but Grays Athletic who’ve also been homeless for years announced they will be moving into Ship Lane.

If I’m honest I was disappointed with our Boxing Day crowd of just over 1,000 and its obvious there is so much more to do to increase our crowds and its diversity but I’ve got every faith in our new owners who don’t have the sharp suites of Hampton or talk in Eastbourne Borough riddles but know the town and its football club.

Could Slough become a football league club? Is promotion for a football club the only measure of success? I look at our community pub always teetering on the brink of bankruptcy and only really surviving because of peoples goodwill, generous handouts and community spirit. We realise the Bevy cannot compete with the bright lights of Brighton or the student bars, so it has to be more than just a pub, that delivers activities for free or really cheap in an area where people are skint. It has to play to its unique selling point.

I see lots of parallels in our football club. Slough Town survive on volunteers and goodwill by the bucketfuls. Our manager has introduced heavy metal football - giving bigger clubs with bigger budgets a bloody nose on the pitch - while our new owners have given the club a spring in its step that I’m really enjoying. Its unique, and its ours and its amber and blue. That’s something worth banging the drum for.