SO the Christmas jumpers are shoved to the back of the wardrobe, we’ve all caught up on events in Albert Square for the year – and TOMMY LAWSON, as ever, still has things on a roll.
Yes, 2012 is almost over, but Skelmersdale United‘s unbeaten start to the Evo-Stik Northern Premier League Division One North campaign is not (well, at least it wasn’t going into yesterday’s home date with Ramsbottom United, anyway).
And at a time of year when pigs in blankets are all the rage, Lawson isn’t just dishing up the bacon and sausages for the butties he sells from his fast-food van.
The Skem boss is cooking up a season to remember at the West Lancashire College Stadium, with his side top of the league and through to the last 16 of the FA Trophy, where a trip to Blue Square Bet Premier big guns Luton Town awaits after giantkilling wins over BSB North sides Boston and Guiseley.
Lawson has seen his team beaten just twice since January 14; against Garforth in the run-in to last season as Skem just missed out on the play-offs, and once this term when they were on the wrong end of a cup upset themselves, losing 4-1 at Northern Counties East side Tadcaster Albion in the FA Cup.
Remarkable
“We don’t fear anyone at the moment, you could see that against Boston and against Guiseley,” said Lawson recently.
“There’s a great feeling within the group that we can beat teams, and that’s great for us.”
As is the fact that in my Non-League New Year’s Honours list, I’m giving Lawson a knighthood – so arise Sir Tommy!
And let’s not forget his record of producing players in his six-and-a-half year reign at the club.
Craig Noone, George Donnelly and Sean McConville all went onto play League football, while in 2012, sevengoal Chris Almond became the latest in a long line to join Lawson’s great friend Liam Watson at Southport and flourish in Non-League’s top-flight, making his achievements all the more remarkable.
Not far behind, but ultimately having to settle for an MBE (Man Bagging Easily), is Altrincham striker DAMIAN REEVES.
The ex-Farsley Celtic forward has suffered personal heartache with the loss of his first child deep into girlfriend Lauren’s pregnancy.
But after agreeing to stay at the Blue Square Bet North club when talks and training at Football League clubs were understandably put on hold during pre-season, Reeves has carried on this term where he finished last.
Up to yesterday’s trip to his old club Histon, Reeves had netted 24 times, the latest coming a fortnight ago in a 1-0 win at Brackley, when he read that home keeper Billy Turley was going to let a ball run through his legs for a goal-kick, but managed to keep it in and curl home from a tight angle.
“Damian is often referred to as a goal poacher, and, for me, that was the ultimate example of poaching something from nothing,” said his manager Lee Sinnott afterwards.
“There was a bit of Fagin about the way he picked Billy’s pocket, and all credit to him. His build-up play has been superb recently, but that goal summed up what he’s all about inside the area. It was a reward for perseverance and being mentally alive to how a situation might develop.”
If that goal told us about Reeves inside the penalty area, the fact he’s done it 44 times in the calendar year tells us the Moss Lane ace one of the men of 2012.
Also getting an MBE for the same reason is Dunston UTS hitman ANDREW BULFORD, who has scored in every FA Vase game in which he’s played, including replays.
The prison officer nicked 15 goals last term, including two in the final as Dunston beat fellow Northern League side West Auckland 2-0 at Wembley.
He had the West defence under lock and key again this term with a brace as Billy Irwin’s men opened their defence of the silverware with a 5-0 second round win, and he bagged another in their victory over Norton United in the third – giving him 18 Vase goals in a season and a half.
The grass-roots game’s alumni are recognised too, with JAMIE VARDY getting a CBE (Cheque Book ‘Ero) for becoming the first Non-League player to be transferred for £1m when he left Conference champions Fleetwood
Town for Championship side Leicester City in the summer.
While York City’s manager, GARY MILLS, gets an OBE for copying Old Big ‘Ead – his legendary former Nottingham Forest manager Brian Clough – in twice taking his players for an eve-of-final beer on his way to becoming the first man to win an FA Trophy and play-off double at Wembley.
Another couple of CBEs go to Hastings United and Welling United player-managers SEAN RAY and JAMIE DAY.
They might sound like a Butlins cabaret double act when put together like this, but they are bosses ‘Carrying on By Example’ in steering their clubs to the FA Cup third round, second in BSB South and last 16 of the Trophy while continuing to be the heartbeat of their teams on the pitch.
Rejuvenated
ROB SCOTT and PAUL HURST get a CBE as a ‘Couple Bossing Everything’, leading Grimsby Town to the top of the BSBP by Christmas after just falling short of the play-offs last term.
Who said joint managers won’t work? Their year’s haul of 81 points from 45 games before yesterday’s trip to Mansfield would normally guarantee a top-five berth, and that is the least they expect to deliver to the rejuvenated Blundell Park faithful this term.
Finally, it is easy to forget that Newport County were staring relegation in the face this time last year.
Ex-Grays and Rushden manager JUSTIN EDINBURGH averted that, took them to the Trophy final along the way and has had them top of the table for the majority of this season.
His chairman Les Scadding might be known as ‘Sir Les’ at Rodney Parade, but Edinburgh is awarded an MBE as a Manager Becoming Exiled – a Londoner on his way to legendary status as an adopted Welshman if he leads them
back into the Football League. It could well happen in 2013, you know.
Happy New Year – or as they say in south Wales, Blwyddwyn Newydd Dda!
