The End of the Road

Micky (Turka) Taylor, Author and Non-League Football Pundit

At some stage in one’s life all good things must come to an end, and that`s what happened to me as manager of St Leonards FC in 2001 after a very enjoyable stay in what I can only say is the best league ever in my managerial career - the Southern League.

As all managers will know, the moment you are appointed at a football club as the `gaffer` you know that one day you will be on your toes and out of the door.

It is the same for players as well but the important thing as a supporter of a club is you can stay forever as long as you pay your entrance money and, of course, that will be the case unless the club does go out of business.

Sometimes managers leave with bitterness about how they have been treated, but in my case, it was more sadness as I tried hard to build a team fit for the club but deep down, despite all of the hard work I had put in and the money from our FA Cup run, I knew it would not be enough as I could see the club heading into decline financially.

This was no one person’s fault, it just happens, unless you have someone who is pumping money into a football club which is what I would have done if at that time I had that kind of money.

I loved the club, the ground, supporters, and, of course, the Southern League.

As I said my last goodbyes, knew I was leaving the club a much better outfit on-the-field than the one I came into the season before.

I had time to reflect on my own personal achievement in such a tough league as the Eastern Division.

I had mixed it with the big boys and taken them on with no fear at all and was always confident that we would get a result wherever we went, and that was the great thing about the Southern League when it came to north v south.

Those trips to Grantham Town where players soon had to learn to look after themselves on the pitch, and what about the nice trip to Wisbech Town out in the wilds of Cambridgeshire where all they wanted to do whatever their league position is roll over the boys from a nice little fishing town on the south coast that is Hastings & St Leonards.

The same can be said of Spalding United where you knew that the north/south divide in those days was very evident and it showed in the intensity of the games between the clubs.

A southern club scalp was as good as it got with the supporters and the same when the northern clubs came down to the south coast.

Rothwell Town was another place in the northern part of Northamptonshire where it was always a hard place to go to get any points, but to me and the new players I had signed, it was all a learning curve and as I keep saying, the Southern League took some getting used to.

I remember well when the chairman told me that we had a trip along the coast to play a league game and how I laughed when he told me that it was Dorchester Town some 120 miles away, but that was the excitement of it all.

Sure, it was far enough to travel, but the players were together on the team bus and those long trips I think made the squad a lot closer with each other and the game became more special as no one wanted to make long trips and come away with nothing.

Banbury United was another hard place to go to and their supporters were so passionate about their team that you even got some stick during the warm-up, let alone the game, but again it was great to be so far away from home which tested my character and that of the team.

We used to have a small band of supporters that would travel away to these far away places and it was great to see them there, having travelled the same distance and the cost to them made them real non-League people.

I must not forget Corby Town, where my journey started with St Leonards, and losing the game in the last minute and the long drag back from Northamptonshire hurting even more because a whole Saturday had gone down the pan by the time we arrived back.

There were also some other teams that had a bit of mileage to them, Rugby Town, Bashley and Stamford, the game where I was to have my final match as manager and a win as well which was a nice trip home of course.

There were the local derbies and one that was very special against our close neighbours Hastings Town.

I say this because - and I may be wrong - but it was the nearest fixture between two senior clubs certainly in England, if not the world, and my good friend George Wakeling, Hastings` manager, in addition to the town rivalry which was great.

Eastbourne Borough was also a big game and another good friend, their manager, Garry Wilson.

Dartford was a great old club as was Tonbridge Angels, Fisher Athletic, Erith & Belvedere, managed by my old Bromley boss, Mick Acland.

What a line-up of clubs - and all in one league.

Back to St Leonards now, and I must say that the chairman paid me a fitting tribute when asked by the local press what his thoughts were about my management.

He said, and I quote, “It`s the hardest decision I’ve made as chairman as Micky has done an excellent job and I don’t think we will ever find anyone more passionate about football. But the club needs a local man at the helm and more local players.”

So, the club did find a manager but as I said it was in decline and no manager was going to change the situation as they slid down the table and out of the Southern League into the Sussex County League and then eventually the final nail in the box that sent the club out of business in 2003/04.

I went onto another club, the sleeping giant that was Haywards Heath Town to wake them up but on hearing the news that my beloved St Leonards were in trouble, I did offer my help in any way I could, but it was all too late the club had gone.

I still go up to the old ground (The Firs) and see the dilapidated state of it and wonder if only, or what if. If I won the lottery today, I would try to resurrect that club what more can I say than that.

(Micky Taylor`s excellent book `Non-League Football - A Roller Coaster Ride To Beat Any` is available to buy from Amazon priced £12.99 (Kindle version £3.99. All proceeds to Cancer Research)