*** INTERVIEW WITH Stuart Blaik ***

*** A WORD FROM THE DUGOUT with Stuart Blaik ***

@THAMEUNITEDFC was able to get an interview with our Assistant Manager ‘Blaiky’.
Stuart is sponsored by non league news @sports_shots for the 2018/19 season.

We would like to thank him for his time and obviously wish him the best for our next game.

*** QUESTION TIME ***

Stuart, now it’s been a few days what are your thoughts on the boys performance Tuesday night in the cup?
STUART - ‘I was disappointed Tuesday night because it was an opportunity to put the two previous defeats behind us. That is not disrespecting Ardley as on the night they deserved to win the game. Three of our own mistakes cost us the game on Tuesday because we were not concentrating’.

With 3 defeats in a row in all competitions what do you put this down to?
STUART - ‘I think it’s the first time we have done it this season and our bouncebackability has been really good. Hence why Tuesday was disappointing as it was an opportunity to get out of that mentality. I put it down to a combination of things such as time of year where people are tired, so don’t have he energy levels we had before Christmas. With such a small squad we are relying 13/14 lads to do it week in week out which is difficult to maintain. Which is one of the reasons why we have made a couple of signings to try ad freshen things up. Our application during game time hasn’t been consistent, we are 5th because we out work sides and except there are sides which have better players because that’s the reality, but we can do is out match them with our workrate’.

Looking ahead to Saturday, our record isn’t the strongest playing in Bedfordshire is this about to end Saturday? And if so, what do we need to do to get a win?
STUART - ‘When we played Kempston last season we beat them 4-0 there. Bedfordshire hasn’t been necessarily a happy place for us when we look at our performance last year at Kempston it was really good. So going to Kempston there isn’t any mental block and can’t go there and win because that is not the case. We were disappointed when we played them at home but Tony Joyce has since joined them as manager and brought players in. We have got to do is get back to our basics and 5/6 weeks ago with our effort and workrate. The personnel has not changed but the level of performance has’.

What will the boys be working on in training ahead of Saturday’s game away to Kempston Rovers?
STUART - ‘Very simple, we are not going to run the legs off them. Tonight s about getting the ball out, enjoying eachother’s company and trying to put the disappointment of Tuesday behind us and be positive to go and get the result on Saturday’.

Mark West recently celebrated 12 years in charge as manager of the club. What do you have to see about him and your time working with him?
STUART - ‘Being manager for 12 years is just incredible and people don’t realise the amount of commitment and time that is required to manage in non-league football. We are all volunteers, we do it for nothing here and there are not many at this level that do that. People don’t realise that we do more than just on a Saturday or midweek training. They don’t see us talking to players, trying to sign players which takes a considerable amount of effort. In the close season when people think we are on sun loungers that is actually our busiest time trying to get players in, sorting admin which shows to do it for 12 years is just fantastic and hopefully the Club realise how lucky they are to have him’.

Please tell us when you started playing football, which clubs and what made you to decide to get into the coaching and management side of football?
STUART - ‘I was on the books for Watford as a youngster, then started playing senior football. The chance to get into the programme never really happened and if i’m honest I was probably not good enough but I did have the desire to play at the highest level I could. I played at Aylesbury United at the time when they were flying, never got into the first team. I then got the opportunity to play at Corby Town and after an evening game an opportunity arose to go and play for Nuneaton.. Then with work it was difficult to travel and play in the midlands. I then played closer to home for Buckingham Town where I spent the most of my latter years. Coaching sort of came with it, as I was skipper there and I did my coaching badges ‘UEFA B’. My lad was starting to play football at that point so I got invovled with Brackley Town. Then I got talked into coaching the kids and doing my coaching license and I just loved working with the kids seeing them develop. The Brackley Town Saints team now has 4 or 5 players I used to coach when they were 5 or 6. So to see them develop is brilliant. I then had a spell as player/manager at Buckingham before coming to Thame. I get persuaded into playing veterans football and I know Westy from playing against him a couple of times. He said why don’t you get involved again and I have not looked back since’.

How long have you been involved at the club now and how did this happen?
STUART - ‘I think it’s 5 years now’.

What for you is the best thing about Thame United?
STUART - ‘We are so lucky with the facilities. The one thing everyone craves for is to have a decent pitch and the facilities. What we lack is people through the turnstiles and it’s always been a problem here. We are trying very hard to address that. The other best thing is obviously the lads’.

Do you have any comments for our followers on www.thamefootball.co.uk and @THAMEUNITEDFC?
STUART - ‘One thing we don’t want to do is panic after losing 2 or 3 games. We are fifth in the league for a reason. What we would all like to see is more people coming through the gates and get an atmosphere going. Those that come bring someone down with ya and get involved in the smallest of ways’.