Troubled times has made me a better manager, says Welling boss Jamie Day

Thursday 03rd March 2011

WELLING UNITED player-manager Jamie Day says he wants to guide the club back into the top flight of non-league football, writes Stephen McCartney.

If there was an award for Kent football’s manager of the season then the midfield playmaker would win it hands down.

Day first managerial job has seen him endure financial problems; a five-points deduction and a transfer embargo which means he can only have sixteen players to choose from.

But Day insisted he has never thought about quitting the Park View Road club - in fact it has made him a stronger person and all of those issues has brought his threadbare squad closer together.

The Welling heroes travel to Bishop’s Stortford on Saturday, sitting in fifth place in the Blue Square Bet South table with 54 points from 30 games - five points clear of Woking, who have a game in hand.

“I’d like to think we’ve got a chance of getting into the play-off’s,” said Day, following last night’s clinical 3-1 home win over Kent rivals Bromley.

“I think the next six games will determine whether we’ll be in the play-off’s or not, playing teams around us. If we pick up some wins and some draws along the way in that run then I think we’ll have a great chance.”

Whether the Park View Road club could afford promotion into the Blue Square Bet Premier is another question.

Fans of the club raised £64,900 towards the end of last year to save the club from going bust due to an unpaid tax bill.

Promotion would mean the loss of lucrative Kent derbies against Bromley, Dartford, Ebbsfleet United and Dover Athletic as the league above has mainly northern clubs.

“Could we afford it? You’d have to ask Barrie (Hobbins, the club’s owner). It would be something that would need to be thought about,” said Day.

“I want to go up, obviously the club would want to go up. Financially, I don’t know if we’d be able to compete and the job would be trying to stay up.

“Everyone associated with the club wants to go up because we want to progress so fingers crossed we can do that.

“Whether the club is in a financial position to do that, I’m not too sure.”

Day has worked wonders with the transfer embargo strangling him - but he paid tribute to his excellent players and his backroom team of Barry Ashby, Dean Frost and Stacey Beckham, who have all offered him support during these trying times.

“As far as I know the club’s solicitors are chasing the League up to find why it hasn’t been lifted,” Day said.

“I think by the time it’s lifted the transfer deadline would be here but the boys that we’ve had here so far have done remarkable and I just hope we keep everyone injury free and the season doesn’t catch up on us because all of them have worked really hard.

“If it does get lifted it would be nice to bring a couple of loanees in, hopefully for free, so we’ll see.”

Day added: “We’ve had some difficult times but as a manager it tests you. You either enjoy it or you don’t and you walk away.

“I’ve enjoyed it. It’s not what I’ve expected, things have happened, but it tests you and it makes you a better manager.

“Hopefully further down the line and things are sorted out financially, you just have to worry about the team. It’s good. I like wheeling and dealing, trying to get the best out of young players and hopefully we can continue that.

“I’ve got an excellent backroom staff. I feel comfortable with Ash, Dean and Stacey, whether I’m playing or not playing they help me out. It’s just not me, it’s them as well. They’ve done really well in guiding the team to where we are.”

Day explained why he has decided to watch recent games from the bench.

He said: “I just felt the boys have played well. With me not being in the team we’ve picked up points so I’ll do the same for any player.

“Just because I’m the manager it doesn’t give me the right to start so as long as we keep winning we’ll probably keep with the players we’ve got unless we feel that some of them might need a rest.

“I want to play but the boys’ are doing well so they’re keeping me out.”

Visit Welling United’s website: www.wellingunited.com

Bishop’s Stortford v Welling United

Blue Square Bet South

Saturday 5th March 2011

Kick Off 3:00pm

At Woodside Park, Dunmow Road, Bishop’s Stortford, Hertfordshire CM23 5RG