DAVID FITZPATRICK can’t wait to be back on the pitch after signing for Macclesfield Town – he’s fed up of Saturday afternoons with Jeff Stelling!
The 25-year-old left-back has been on the sofa watching Soccer Saturday for the opening weeks of the season following a frustrating summer.
Fitzpatrick left Southport to progress a career that has enjoyed a whirlwind rise from the Altrincham Sunday League to the top of Non-League, and England C honours, in just three years.
But after pre-season trials at Crawley Town and Stevenage came to nothing, the defender was left on edge until Macc boss John Askey signed him until January.
“It’s been so frustrating,” Fitzpatrick told The NLP. “I had a week at Crawley, it was a good experience, but I didn’t really enjoy it. I’d train and then go back to sit in my hotel room. I did mingle in with the lads but I didn’t really feel comfortable and didn’t perform to my capabilities.
Strange
“Then Stevenage came up. It was a strange one. I was in work on a Monday and I got a call at midday saying they wanted me in the next day. I drove straight down on the Monday night to be ready for training on Tuesday and, what I thought would be Wednesday.
“But when I got there I was told they were off Wednesday so it was just a training session on Tuesday. I did really well and Teddy Sheringham asked me to play in a reserve game that night.
“He’d promised someone else a game at left-back so I ended up playing in a diamond midfield and did well again. The game was in Essex so I had to drive two hours to play there and after I drove straight home. I got back at 3.30am and I was in work by 9am.
“Then I got a call saying they wanted me back in Thursday and Friday. So it was back down Wednesday night for that.
“The information coming back on Thursday night was they might offer me something, but after training on Friday I found out they didn’t have anything for me. It’s opened my eyes to how quickly things change in football.
“The first week of the season I was sat at home watching Soccer Saturday frustrated and wondering if I was going to get back in. ”
Fitzpatrick is now ready to show the form that made him a fans’ favourite at Southport.
“I work in HR for a claims company and I was starting to look at doing my exams to get fully trained just in case I didn’t get back in,” Fitzpatrick said.
“So when Macclesfield called it was nice. I know 80 per cent of the squad – Danny Whitehead and Neil Byrne live in the next road and I know a few from Stockport.
“After all the waiting I’m glad I’ve got something. The length of contract’s not what I wanted, but it’s a start and I’ve got to take the chance.”
