Lowe is ready to hit the heights

By Matt Badcock, 
Matt Lowe has been targeting an England C call-up and is determined to take his chance now he’s got one.
The 23-year-old wideman has just finished another good season with National League North Brackley Town.
Boss Paul Fairclough, who saw him play in person against Leyton Orient in the FA Trophy, had Lowe on his back-up list for the friendly with Wales C in March.
In fact he may have got the nod as a late replacement for that game but the FA now insist all players in their set-up have had a heart screening. With time against Lowe it couldn’t be sorted so he’s had to be patient for the chance. It will come this week when the team take on Estonia and he can’t wait to get going.
“I’m delighted. It’s something I’ve been working towards for a little while,” Lowe tells The NLP. “For the game against Wales I was in the contingency squad. A couple of people got injured but a heart screening couldn’t be done in time. I’ve had one done now – it’s good they do it. I went to Birmingham for it and it only took about half-an-hour.
“I also played in the FA Representative squad game at Luton and got a little taste of it. Now I’ve managed to earn myself a chance. I’m glad I did it this way. In the contingency you’re kind of there if someone gets injured, whereas for this game I’ve done it off my own back.”
Lowe has just finished his fourth season at Kevin Wilkin’s Saints. Last year he started in their FA Trophy triumph at Wembley and he’s continued to establish himself this term.
He believes Non-League has been the making of him having, like so many, fallen out of the Football League where he was with Cambridge United.
“When I first joined on loan from Cambridge it was when Brackley were in a real scrap and a relegation battle,” Lowe says. “We managed to stay up on the last day of the season. To go from the position we were in to gradually improving over the years.
“The year after I had to bide my time a little bit and most of my appearances were from coming off the bench.
“A lot of people when they come out of pro clubs think, ‘Oh, it’s fine, I’ll walk into a Non-League club’. But you get a quick reality check that it’s not as easy as that – there are a lot of good players out there.
“I had to bide my time and this season it’s really paid off. I’ve started pretty much every game and we’ve done well. Obviously the only thing is if we could have got promoted that would have topped it all off.
“I’d like to add a few more goals to my game but apart from that it’s been a really successful season overall.”
Despite missing out on promotion in the play-offs for the second season running, Brackley have given Lowe the experience of what it takes to be battling for promotion.
A dressing room known for its strong characters has been a blessing, Lowe believes.
“I needed it a little bit,” he says. “When you come out (of the League) you’re a bit naïve and a bit of a sulky teenager at times. But when you’ve got characters like Gaz Dean, Jimmy Armson, Adam Walke – Carl Baker now – who are all good players but good pros as well. They help you a lot with advice and people you can speak to and learn from.
“They told me the gaffer did the same with them when they were younger. He does it for your development, he doesn’t want to throw you in every game if you’re not quite ready for it. Last season prepared me well, starting at Wembley playing well and going onto win it topped it off and put me in good stead for this season.”
Lowe is looking forward to challenging himself in the C set-up and has been sure to ask team-mates Dean and Armson how they found the experience.
A Sports Science degree student at Coventry University – as well as a football coach – means Lowe is always keen to learn.
“I manage to juggle them all around – it keeps me busy and hopefully in the future it will pay off,” he adds.
“It’s interesting what you learn about with the degree – physiology of your body, nutrition and also psychology.
“The difference people probably notice is not only as a player but as a person as well.
“Being around the Brackley changing room and environment, really humble people, has really matured me a lot as a player. Gradually I’m getting there.”