Background
I was 23 when it happened. I was playing in my 5th game for Rotherham United. I was running, clean through on goal when i got slid. It was immediate pain. Unbearable. I looked down and fainted. The bone was sticking out through my sock with blood surrounding it. I was rushed to hospital to be told, after a 4 hour operation, that i could never play football again as i had broke my leg in 5 places. I was distraught. I was finally having a shot at the big time with Rotherham scoring 2 goals in 4 games and now i have nothing. I had never felt so down in my life and after my rehabilitation i condemned myself to alcohol. I was drinking heavily for a few months but Rotherham offered me a job as a coach and i accepted. I enjoyed my time coaching and decided i was going to head into Scotland and get my badges so i could possibly have a shot at a managerial career.
After i had completed it i went on a short two week holiday to Greece. I wanted to relax after the hectic year i have just had. I went from earning hundreds of pounds a week to having next to nothing. All i could look forward to when i return is my little one bedroom flat and my dog. I went steady with the drink and mostly stayed by the pool reading autobiography's by the likes of Clough etc. I was inspired by him.
When i returned it was October 2011 and i decided to apply for two jobs. Dover and Cambridge. Dover were in mid table and had hopes of gaining a play off place whereas Cambridge were 16th and staring at relegation. Two weeks passed with no reply and i was sure that would stay the same. The following day my phone rang at 11pm at night. I staggered to the phone and answered;
I wondered what he wanted to talk about and why the long wait. The following day i arrived early, about 10.45 and Mr. Barry was outside the ground. He welcomed me and showed me a tour of the ground. We ended up in his office where he asked if i wanted a drink. I politely said no. I was a little anxious as to what he was going to say. Did he bring me all this way to say i hadn't got the job? I was in a little day dream when i heard a voice...
I was 23 when it happened. I was playing in my 5th game for Rotherham United. I was running, clean through on goal when i got slid. It was immediate pain. Unbearable. I looked down and fainted. The bone was sticking out through my sock with blood surrounding it. I was rushed to hospital to be told, after a 4 hour operation, that i could never play football again as i had broke my leg in 5 places. I was distraught. I was finally having a shot at the big time with Rotherham scoring 2 goals in 4 games and now i have nothing. I had never felt so down in my life and after my rehabilitation i condemned myself to alcohol. I was drinking heavily for a few months but Rotherham offered me a job as a coach and i accepted. I enjoyed my time coaching and decided i was going to head into Scotland and get my badges so i could possibly have a shot at a managerial career.
After i had completed it i went on a short two week holiday to Greece. I wanted to relax after the hectic year i have just had. I went from earning hundreds of pounds a week to having next to nothing. All i could look forward to when i return is my little one bedroom flat and my dog. I went steady with the drink and mostly stayed by the pool reading autobiography's by the likes of Clough etc. I was inspired by him.
When i returned it was October 2011 and i decided to apply for two jobs. Dover and Cambridge. Dover were in mid table and had hopes of gaining a play off place whereas Cambridge were 16th and staring at relegation. Two weeks passed with no reply and i was sure that would stay the same. The following day my phone rang at 11pm at night. I staggered to the phone and answered;
'Hello Mr. Southern?'
'Hello, who is this?'
'It's Michelle, I work for Mr. Barry, Cambridge's chairman'
'Oh right, can i do anything for you?'
'Yes, be at the ground at 11am tomorrow. Mr. Barry want's to have a talk with you'
'Okay thank you'
'Hello, who is this?'
'It's Michelle, I work for Mr. Barry, Cambridge's chairman'
'Oh right, can i do anything for you?'
'Yes, be at the ground at 11am tomorrow. Mr. Barry want's to have a talk with you'
'Okay thank you'
I wondered what he wanted to talk about and why the long wait. The following day i arrived early, about 10.45 and Mr. Barry was outside the ground. He welcomed me and showed me a tour of the ground. We ended up in his office where he asked if i wanted a drink. I politely said no. I was a little anxious as to what he was going to say. Did he bring me all this way to say i hadn't got the job? I was in a little day dream when i heard a voice...
'Mr. Southern? ... Mr. Southern?'
'Oh yes? Sorry, i was day dreaming'
Slight laughter 'It's fine. Now then, lets get down to business. Why do you want to be a manager?'
'Well, i have loved the sport since i was young and after my injury i would like to get back into the sport i love'
'Right, as you are aware. We are striving to battle against relegation. How will you approach this?'
'I will play attacking, direct football and hope that gets the results to help us reach mid table by January and then hopefully push for the play offs come May,'
'Interesting, i would like to offer you a two year deal on £600 per week, we have a £5,000 budget and a £13,000 wage budget but we are £500 over it so any new signings may be limited. Do you accept?'
'Yes sir. Thank you'
' Okay, i look forward to working with you. All the best.'
'Oh yes? Sorry, i was day dreaming'
Slight laughter 'It's fine. Now then, lets get down to business. Why do you want to be a manager?'
'Well, i have loved the sport since i was young and after my injury i would like to get back into the sport i love'
'Right, as you are aware. We are striving to battle against relegation. How will you approach this?'
'I will play attacking, direct football and hope that gets the results to help us reach mid table by January and then hopefully push for the play offs come May,'
'Interesting, i would like to offer you a two year deal on £600 per week, we have a £5,000 budget and a £13,000 wage budget but we are £500 over it so any new signings may be limited. Do you accept?'
'Yes sir. Thank you'
' Okay, i look forward to working with you. All the best.'