The Southern League`s Outstanding Teams – Nuneaton Borough 1998/99

Reviewing a marvellous campaign for Boro.

The end of the 1997/98 season saw Nuneaton Borough finish in a mid-table twelfth position in the Southern League Premier Division.

In April 1995, Nuneaton took the decision to sack Elwyn Roberts as manager and do something rare in football then (and sadly still now), appoint a black manager in former England semi-professional international midfielder Brendan Phillips.

Phillips was previously a player at Boro, so knew the club already and possessed an excellent background in non-League football, not only as a player where he graced Manor Park for numerous seasons with his silky-smooth skills back in the 1980s but also on the managerial front where he did a splendid job at Stafford Rangers.

However, a lack of cash, injuries and misfortune seemed to bedevil him at Marston Road as the Rangers slumped into the lower reaches of the Conference and he parted company with the club during the 1994/95 season.

Success was instant as Phillips led Boro out of the Southern League Midland Division.

In their first campaign back in the Premier Division, seventh place was attained, and although they dropped down to twelfth in 97/98, the seeds were being set for a fantastic season which followed.

The summer of 1998 began with a new chairman at Boro`s helm, with Howard Kerry stepping down following a boardroom shuffle.

Kerry resigned his position to make way for commercial director Phil Clayton to become the new chairman.

The news came just days after Phillips had been given extra cash to plan an assault on the Premier title, despite the club making a substantial loss the previous year.

Kerry revealed the Manor Park club ended up heavily in the red during a season of turbulence and poor performances.

Phillips embarked on a squad strengthening exercise that saw highly rated Atherstone United goalkeeper Richard Williams becoming the first pre-season signing after quitting the Adders in a dispute over wages.

Phillips then splashed out a four-figure sum to bring winger Shaun Wray to Manor Park.

Wray previously played in the Football League with Shrewsbury Town, where he made several first-team appearances and joined from Phillips` former club, Stafford Rangers.

Next to arrive in the door were Richard Gardner, a 22-year-old utility player from Bromsgrove Rovers and, crucially, influential centre-back Terry Angus.

Former Walsall player Gardner was signed to add more bite and passion to the side, while Angus, the former Fulham and Slough Town defender, played at VS Rugby earlier in his career.

The new boys continued to head into Manor Park, with the experienced former England semi-pro international defender Steve Prindiville and ex-Tranmere goal hero Ian Muir both putting pen-to-paper.

Prindiville is an experienced left-back who previously played for Kidderminster Harriers and played more than 100 Football League games for Chesterfield, Mansfield and Doncaster.

Muir was with Tranmere for over ten years and scored more than 140 goals.

After leaving Tranmere Muir had spells with Birmingham City and Darlington before trying his luck in Hong Kong, from where he had just returned.

However, Phillips was having trouble holding off interest for impressive young striker Malcolm Christie, with Premier League giants Tottenham Hotspur the latest to be rumoured to want to sign him.

And just ahead of Boro`s first league game at home to Hastings Town, Phillips made a late signing, bringing his former skipper at Stafford Rangers, utility player Wayne Simpson, for a £2,000 fee.

It was a single Christie goal that got Phillips` new-look side off to a winning start.

Phillips won the first manager of the month award as his Boro side won all four games in August and extended that run to six before the run ended at Gloucester City, who won 1-0.

Nuneaton got themselves back on track with successive wins against King`s Lynn and Worcester City, only to lose 2-0 at Grantham Town.

However, that proved to be Boro`s last defeat of the year as they embarked on an unbeaten league run of thirteen games.

And most of that was achieved without Malcolm Christie - the teenage hot-shot having been signed by Jim Smith for Premier League Derby County for a £130,000 fee in October 1998.

November saw Phillips sign former Kettering Town and Peterborough United keeper Kevin Shoemake as cover for Richard Williams and prolific England semi-pro marksman Joey O`Connor from Hednesford Town, for whom he had scored over 200 goals in eight years.

But Phillips failed in his bid to bring two Burton Albion players to Manor Park.

Having tabled a £15,000 bid for Darren Stride and David Holmes, the Brewers acted quickly by extending the players’ contracts, which were signed by both players, tying them to the club until the 2000/01 season.

He was, though, more successful in bringing in Gavin O’Toole from Leek Town, a 23-year-old former Irish Youth international midfielder.

And just ahead of the busy Christmas period, Phillips completed the signing of Andy Kirkup from Raunds Town on a free transfer.

The experienced former Rushden & Diamonds and Gloucester City forward was as somewhat surprising addition but proved to be a useful squad player as the season progressed.

That long unbeaten run came to an end on New Year`s Day at Halesowen Town, who won 2-0 at The Grove and, to make matters worse, Boro had keeper Richard Williams sent-off near the end when he conceded a penalty that made it 2-0.

It was business as usual with wins over Merthyr Tydfil and Ilkeston Town, but Salisbury won 1-0 at Manor Park.

It was a disastrous league debut for the experienced Kevin Shoemake, in for the suspended Richard Williams, as it was his mistake that cost the goal and he never played for the club again.

However, Phillips was in a happier frame of mind after clinching the signing of Cambridge City forward Andy Kiwomya.

The 31-year-old former Dundee, Halifax Town, Notts County and Bradford City striker had scored 12 goals for Cambridge City in 98/99.

And the good news continued with the club`s Manor Park being given a Grade A Certificate to allow them promotion to the Conference.

The club also enjoyed a £25,000 pay day after Malcolm Christie made his Premiership debut for Derby County.

The 19-year-old striker who just a few months ago was working in a supermarket when Boro sold him to the Rams for a record fee.

Phillips` side got back on track after the Salisbury defeat to win three and draw one of their next three matches before Merthyr gained revenge for their 6-1 thrashing at Manor Park on January 3rd with a 2-1 win at Penydarren Park on February 27th.

In the game before the defeat to the Martyrs, Nuneaton had beaten Bath City 3-1 at Twerton Park but had lost keeper Williams to another dismissal – this time for handling the ball outside his area.

Phillips went out and secured the services of former Corby Town and Hereford United keeper Chris Mackenzie from Leyton Orient to cover the suspension of Williams.

Mackenzie was to go on to become a stalwart for Boro over four years, making more than 150 appearances.

He was only to play in two games though as, after the Merthyr loss, Nuneaton lost only one of their remaining ten matches – a 3-1 loss at home to Ilkeston Town.

Earlier though, ahead of the signing deadline, Phillips acted quickly to oust winger Richard Gardner and replace him with rising star Jamie March.

Gardner re-joined Bromsgrove Rovers, while March arrived at Manor Park on a free transfer, having had spells with Kettering Town and Stevenage Borough, for whom he played against Newcastle United at St James’s Park the previous season.

So, after taking the leadership of the table back in September 1998, Nuneaton was never really threatened, and they finished the season a massive 23 points ahead of runners-up Boston United.

Phillips` defence conceded only 33 goals in the league and keeper Richard Williams kept 19 clean sheets and defender Barry Williams won a place in a predominantly Conference-based England C squad.

The only really disappointing thing about the 98/99 season for Boro fans was the team`s poor cup form.

After a 3-0 win in a replay with neighbours Atherstone Town in the Second Qualifying Round of the FA Cup, when 3,019 at Manor Park saw goals from Kevin Wilkin, Barry Williams and Malcolm Christie saw them through following a 0-0 draw at Sheepy Road, Boro lost 2-1 at Burton Albion in the next round.

And in the FA Trophy, Northern Premier League side Hyde United held Boro to a 1-1 draw at home before winning the replay 1-0 at Ewen Fields.

Brendan Phillips was voted the Southern League manager of the year for the second time in four seasons after overseeing Boro’s magnificent title charge.

He was later voted the non-League manager of the year at a top awards ceremony in London.

Phillips followed in the footsteps of Martin O’Neill, Sammy McIlroy, Paul Fairclough and Steve Cotterill and rated the achievement as “the peak of my managerial career”.