As last season drew to a close, my belief was that the Conference Premier was starting to return to its traditional order with a majority of part-time clubs. I was wrong.
Former England captain Terry Butcher knows a thing or two about heart and desire. One only has to recall the image of his blood-soaked shirt in Sweden to realise that.
Ease of travel and the tendency for accommodation to be included as part of a player’s contract means that many clubs have lost touch with their community, the lack of local boys-done-good in the team often affecting the affection shown from the terraces.
For every football fan, they say losing your beloved club is the worst thing imaginable. Maybe supporters of Chester FC could be about to argue otherwise!
Whether it’s a 64-inch plasma on which to view DVDs of upcoming opponents, or the surprising job choice that many others wouldn’t see, football managers have to look at the bigger picture.