From the Dugout (Okehampton Argyle Home in the League Cup)

I am writing this before our league trip to Newquay, so by the time you are reading this, things may have had an upturn or taken a further dip!!

This is my sixth season in charge of the team and without  doubt, my most difficult spell. Of course we have had runs where we have gone periods without a win, however expectations around the club are different nowadays and I have to accept that 5 defeats in a row, is quite an underachievement considering what we have in place.

We should be challenging for silverware and the reality is we need to start winning football matches immediately, if we are not to be out of everything before the clocks go back

I believe Managers, just like players, have times when they are in form and periods when they have a dip.

I don’t think I’ve got as many calls right as i would  have liked over the last 3-4 weeks.

This brings about a lot of self reflection and the upshot of it is, whilst I hate losing, I can live with myself having an off spell.

I have an incredibly demanding ‘day job’ yet I’ve worked harder than at any other time,to try to turn the  fortunes of the club around. I’ve consulted the right people, and generally have gone with what I’ve thought was the right move at the time. After a couple of days having a sulk, I’ve made peace with myself

More than that, I’m actually starting to enjoy the struggle!!

Plotting how we can get better, get the lads back to their high individual and collective levels.

Looking forward to that winning feeling again, building momentum and taking some real form into the winter months. Using this time to shape the future of the team, to learn and get better from this poor run of results.

We can all come out of it better.

These notes,from anyone that’s not managed, may seem a little melodramatic but I can guarantee that it will resonate with those that have been in a similar role, even at step 6.

As tough as it is now, I’m determined to ensure that in the future, we look back on September/ October 23 as a positive time in the evolution of Wadebridge Town Football Club.

Last Sunday I had the pleasure of presenting an award to Beccy Michael in recognition of 100 appearances for our women’s team. Beccy has been a part the team from its beginning and been part of the growth the women’s football at Wadebridge. Beccy is one of those people who often go unnoticed, an unsung hero, showing a commitment and example for others without fanfare.

You may be familiar with the saying “the quiet ones are the worse”, sometimes true but I think very often the quiet ones are the best. Those who throughout their lives give of themselves for others, who show love and support, encourage others, and largely go unnoticed.

There are many of these people around our Club and I won’t embarrass them here. I try to recognise them and thank them for what they do and mostly they look bemused, not thinking they do anything worthy of praise.

When Elijah went up the mountain to meet with God the earth quaked, there was fire and wind but that was not where Elijah heard God’s voice. He heard God in the “still small voice”, a gently whisper. Not everything is always as it seems. The obvious, the loudest, biggest, seemingly the best is not always so.

If we look and listen more attentively, we might spot the still small voices, the people, and situations around us that don’t shout loudly. If we find them, we might that this is where the jewels are.