Front Office Football Central - View Single Post - A Manager's Story (Create-a-Club, FM 17)

Tom Ashley · 03-12-2017, 12:06 PM

June 2016

By the broadest definition of the term, Tom Ashley could claim to be a professional footballer, if he were the sort of man to brag. Throughout his twenties, he'd turned out for a succession of semi-professional clubs: Stratford Town, Abingdon United, Oxford City Nomads, Didcot Town. Tom was never more than a part-time player, one who went to training after a full day at his "real" job as a teacher.

Three years ago, Tom discovered the enthusiasm he'd once felt for playing the game had faded. His mates threw a "retirement party" for him, and a group of them played a "testimonial" match with him on a fine Sunday afternoon. By now, Tom was working as an admission counselor and a dormitory proctor at Abingdon School, and he loved it.

He also helped coach the school's football teams, and he loved that just as much. The game of the mind appealed to him--it always had--and he found studying for his coaching badges to be a labor of love, rather than a task. He'd gained his National A license, impressive credentials for a man who coached schoolboys who were barely in their teens.

Now Tom was 32. His life seemed to have settled into a comfortable pattern. He was still single--he'd briefly been engaged to be married to a girl who didn't believe fidelity was a requisite for a relationship. He had a good job at one of the finest schools in England, and he had the chance to keep a foot in the sport he loved.

Then things changed.

It was a warm spring day when Tom spotted a news item about the creation of a new football club in the nearby village of Sutton Courtenay. The club's senior team would play in the Hellenic League Premier Division, a league Tom knew fairly well from his days with Nomads. The club was looking for coaches, and the more Tom thought about it, the more appealing the idea of putting in his name seemed to be.

He spoke to the proper authorities at Abingdon, and they gave him their blessing, provided his schedule didn't interfere with his responsibilities to the school. That afternoon, he sent his resume to David Gould, the new club's chairman. Gould quickly contacted him and invited him to come in for an interview.

David Gould was in his mid-forties, with a floppy mop of dark brown hair that made him look a bit like a fifth Beatle. He showed Tom around the club's facilities--nothing fancy, but adequate for a small club.

Then, he asked a question that made Tom stop in his tracks.

"Tom, how would you like to be the manager here?"

03-12-2017, 12:06 PM	#2
Tom Ashley n00b Join Date: Mar 2017	June 2016 By the broadest definition of the term, Tom Ashley could claim to be a professional footballer, if he were the sort of man to brag. Throughout his twenties, he'd turned out for a succession of semi-professional clubs: Stratford Town, Abingdon United, Oxford City Nomads, Didcot Town. Tom was never more than a part-time player, one who went to training after a full day at his "real" job as a teacher. Three years ago, Tom discovered the enthusiasm he'd once felt for playing the game had faded. His mates threw a "retirement party" for him, and a group of them played a "testimonial" match with him on a fine Sunday afternoon. By now, Tom was working as an admission counselor and a dormitory proctor at Abingdon School, and he loved it. He also helped coach the school's football teams, and he loved that just as much. The game of the mind appealed to him--it always had--and he found studying for his coaching badges to be a labor of love, rather than a task. He'd gained his National A license, impressive credentials for a man who coached schoolboys who were barely in their teens. Now Tom was 32. His life seemed to have settled into a comfortable pattern. He was still single--he'd briefly been engaged to be married to a girl who didn't believe fidelity was a requisite for a relationship. He had a good job at one of the finest schools in England, and he had the chance to keep a foot in the sport he loved. Then things changed. It was a warm spring day when Tom spotted a news item about the creation of a new football club in the nearby village of Sutton Courtenay. The club's senior team would play in the Hellenic League Premier Division, a league Tom knew fairly well from his days with Nomads. The club was looking for coaches, and the more Tom thought about it, the more appealing the idea of putting in his name seemed to be. He spoke to the proper authorities at Abingdon, and they gave him their blessing, provided his schedule didn't interfere with his responsibilities to the school. That afternoon, he sent his resume to David Gould, the new club's chairman. Gould quickly contacted him and invited him to come in for an interview. David Gould was in his mid-forties, with a floppy mop of dark brown hair that made him look a bit like a fifth Beatle. He showed Tom around the club's facilities--nothing fancy, but adequate for a small club. Then, he asked a question that made Tom stop in his tracks. "Tom, how would you like to be the manager here?"