I’VE got fond memories of playing in the Conference so I had no hesitation in coming back into the league to play for Hyde.
I scored the winning goal in the play-off final for Morecambe when we got promoted into the Football League in 2007.
However, we did lose a couple of times in the play-offs so I do know how tough this league can be at times too!
I’ve been at Morecambe for large parts of my career so it was difficult to have to leave. I started there when I was 16 and left after the Wembley final to try and progress my career. I did well when I came back and I’ve spent seven or eight years at the club. I’ll have to make sure I don’t accidentally drive to the ground on a Saturday!
I missed a lot of last season after rupturing my cruciate ligament and the gaffer, Jim Bentley, said to prove myself in pre-season.
I think I did that and Jim wanted to keep me but, unfortunately, they’re on a very tight budget at Morecambe and they just couldn’t afford for me to stay on.
I’ll still be training there at times during the week as I’ll be part-time at Hyde so that should help keep me sharp for the season.
I came down and played four friendlies in a week for Hyde which has helped get my fitness back and getting to know the lads.
The pitch looks great at Hyde which is a positive and, hopefully, the fans will get to see some good football this season.
I’ve heard about how the club played last year and it’s always nice to join a team that wants to play the right way because that leads to more chances for the strikers.
The club is really friendly and seems to be going in the right direction with the new chairman Joe Kitchen coming in.
The boss Scott McNiven has impressed me so far. I knew him as I played with his brother David at Morecambe and I always thought he was a good bloke.
He’s more of a relaxed manager and just lets the players go out and enjoy themselves rather than shouting and screaming at them.
The squad looks good and with the signing of Louis Almond on loan again, there will be plenty of competition for positions in the forward areas which will spur everybody on.
HEART MEANS MORE MORE THAN DEEP POCKETS
The key to the Conference has to be consistency with your performances.
There are plenty of former Football League clubs in the division and it’s tough for part-timers to have to go up against wealthier clubs, but, at the end of the day, it’s about performances and heart rather than money and, last season, the part-time teams showed it can be done.
For us, the target will be to guarantee safety and then start looking up the table, possibly even towards the play-offs.
That would be a great achievement for Hyde and it’s a challenge I’m looking forward to.
