Picture: BOYD CHRISTINE BOYD/PA Archive/PA Images
By Mark Carruthers
It’s 25 years since Jamie Pollock made a breakthrough to become a regular feature in the midfield at Middlesbrough.
But now, the former England Under-21 international is seeing the game from the other side in his role as manager of Northern League Division Two club Billingham Synthonia.
It has been a difficult two years for the Synners as numerous on and off-field changes have led to a relegation into step six.
Those changes have forced the club to change their focus and Pollock is currently working with a vibrant group of young players – complimented by some experienced, battle-hardened senior men.
In the challenging, rough and tumble world of the Northern League’s second-tier, Pollock’s youngsters are progressing well.
A top-six finish is not out of the question and, more importantly, foundations for a more stable future are being put in place.
Synners remain a work-in-progress, but Pollock remains positive.
“Experience is a great thing,” he admitted.
“Maybe in the early part of the season we didn’t have that character, or that ingredient if you like.
“It’s about getting a mixture and getting a blend.
“You get experience by playing games and young players quite often get left.
“We have seen many young players come out of Newcastle, Sunderland, and they find it hard to go on and deal with disappointment.
“We like to think we are the type of club that can help them out in that situation by helping them play right and train right.
“If you believe in your football, and your football philosophy, you have to stick to it.”
Challenges remain in place for Pollock.
A number of players have captured the attention of clubs from higher up the non-league pyramid after settling into life in the Northern League.
That was inevitable according to the former Middlesbrough star, but he insisted that his club would be sticking to the philosophy that has helped them emerge from one of the most challenging periods in their history.
He said “We will see a lot of these young lads wanted by higher clubs than us.
“Obviously wages will come into play, but we have a lot of young players coming through.
“We have a bit of a conveyer belt of young players with under 16’s moving up, so we are pretty calm.
“We are realistic, but as a club, the most important thing is to have a belief, a pathway and a philosophy.
“We will be sticking to that.”
