One Mans Journey - From the lower league to the World Stage

Trotty

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The Story Begins

I Can remember the day when i played Middlesbrough as a reserve and early on in the game was career was ended!! leg broken in two places my life was ruined i was so close to the first team was about to sign my first team contract for my Boyhood club but all that was gone in seconds.

After my Professional football career ended through a horrific injury i decided i was going to be a nobody. Football was my life and i wanted to get back into but how?






After talking to my close Friends and Family i decided i wanted to become a manager and be the best in the world, following in the footsteps of, Bob Paisley Sir Alex and of course Brain Clough.

Several years on and i have done my coach badges and was ready for the challenge, the problem was where to start. Football is a business where managers come and go and you don't get to much time, difference was i wanted time and a chance to prove even at my young age i can deliver trophies.

Got go now Agent on the phone with a potential club wish me luck!
 
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Got some good news, after hours of talks, i have decided to take my first managerial job at Boston United. The Boston Chairman has assured me he will give me time at the club to turn its fortunes around.

The chairman has given me a poor wage budget which wont help me turn things around at the club so it will have to be hard work at for the players to believe in myself, the staff and themselves to turn the results round.

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24th November 2011

THE FIRST DAY

The day had come the first official day that i become Boston United Manager. I had been waiting months for opportunity to arrive i was going to let it slip. After a sleepless nights worrying about how the players would take to me being so young and with no actually first team experience. I Didn't want to be hated and the fans as well i knew the moment i stepped through the doors at Boston United fans would want success, especially after blaming the board of getting rid of fan favourite Jason Lee. The pressure was on.

The time had come i stepped through the doors of Boston United and got taken straight to the physio room where i saw the players getting there after match massages, but thats what they weren't getting there were 6 players recieving treatments for injuries. This job had got much harder how was i meant to change the fortunes of the club around with 6 players misssing through injury and no budgets what so ever. No wonder the chairman had given me time no other idiot wanted to risk there reputation at a club where times were hard.

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There will now be monthly updates first one being end of December
 
The Big Job Ahead

Once i got home i got straight on the phone to the scouts and told them i need a striker with experience and can get me 20'+ goals a season. They had 48 hrs to find one before the clubs 3rd qualifying round against stamford if we lost this the club was going to go into turmoil and the fans would be pressuring myself and the board.

Once we lost to Stamford in the FA Cup i asked myself a big question was this job for me?

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Then it hit me question upon question from the journalist

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Q: Why do you think you lost a game you should of easily won today?
A: The players were simply not up for the challenge and neither was i.
Q: Can you change this round Mr Collett?
A: I believe so otherwise i wouldn't be standing here would i?
Q: According to a reliable source there is apparent unrest in the dressing is this true?
A: At the moment the club is going through change and the players know that the door is open if they want to leave.

I Knew after that press conference i was going to prove everyone wrong i was going to take Boston into the Football League and beyond.



The scouts had finally come back to me after the Stamford game and informed me 2 players were interested in working with me and there were Adam or Pablo Counago. I didn't know what to do youth or experience?


 
The Longest Month

After hours on the phone to agents and players i decided that the best striker to go for was the experience of Pablo Counago i felt he was someone that could provide the wealth of experience he has learned could help take the youngsters forward within the club.

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I was grateful that the Christmas period was over, but there were a lot of postponed matches due to snow and waterlogged pitches. After watching Boston for most of the month i knew the team were lacking strength in depth but with no wages for players or staff available i knew i had to sell some of my players. which funnily enough didn't go down to well.

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1st January



I sat down at the breakfast table wondering what i can do to turn the clubs fortunes around i was having to do i was worrying over so many things players reactions to the new i was going to have to tell them. The team were finally getting used to the next regime but they were having to go through change again in order to get the club back on track for promotion which i know we were more than capable of.
On my way to the stadium there was local reporters asking whether or not the club will be seeing any new faces. There was only one answer i could give them and that was only if players leave.

Hours later the chairman wanted to see me........
 
Thanks, like to know people are following havent done a story for a while now most people know me for my chester city story
 
Next update will be tonite or 1st thing in the morning depending on what time i finish work!
 
The Meeting!!

The phone call came in it was the chairman telling me he was ready for out meeting. I didn't know what to think was it a general meeting about how things have being going? or was it something more serious?

I walked into the boardroom all suited and booted and i immediately spotted the director at the head of the table, I was now thinking the worse, how was i going to cope if i got sacked it could mark the end of my short career?

I sat down and the chairmen slid the evenings local paper into my direction. The chairman kept it short and brief
' ARE YOU TAKING THIS JOB SERIOUSLY? YOU HAVE 48 HOURS TO DECIDE NOW GET OUT!

Headline news

Colllet shouts his mouth!
It was blatently the questions that were thrown at me this morning and with the big game against Worcester coming up. I knew i had to make a quick decision. For my sake and the future of Boston United!
 
The Time has come!

'After thinking about my time here at Boston and the resources ive been given ive come to the decision that it best i leave. From day one me and the players never seen eye to eye and wouldnt buy into my regime. I would like to thank the board for the opportunity they have given but i dont think im ready to take a club where the fans want instant success.

I would like to take this time to thank everyone that has stood by me and given me advice on my decision today.

I will be back and who knows maybe even back here at Boston United, but for now im not ready.

I will not be taking any questions at this time'

Collet Leaves Club After Boardroom Bust Up
 
Where to go? What to do?

I spent my time off talking to football greats and asking whether they had failed at their first job. Sir Alex gave me something to think about he whispered to me ' You have to fail to succeed' he asked me whether i wanted to work with under 16's to gain some experience i rejected as i didn't know what i want to do.

After my time away asking myself questions wondering if this job was for me, if so what kind of team would a like to manage. A team
engraved in history or a team where the trophy cabinet is empty?

As i was about to call my agent to stop looking for potential jobs, he phoned me saying that the newly promoted blue square north and south teams were interested in my services. He told me whom Chester, Chemlsford or Charshalton. I wondered why they wanted me i was a failure at Boston United.

I told my agent to take care of all the contract negotiations and to pick a team where he thinks i was flourish. I didn't now what i wanted to do? Was football the right job for me after all, i felt like it was never to be after the horrific double leg break on the eve of my first team contract which ended my career.

 
The right time? 25th JUB

After days of talk to the three teams. I felt my decision was made. I Was going to take charge of the newly promoted Charshalton.

In the press conference Ben Collett mentioned that the decision was made on the clubs ambition which was to take Charshalton to the football league. ' Im greatly honored to have a team with high goals to want me to be part of there successful future. The board has promised to back me and i will be bringing own players and staff into the club'

I have told the board what my goals for the season are which is to survive in the league, i have given them a list of players i think will improve the 1st team. I will not be declaring my interest in any player today but i will be contacting there agent and themselves in the coming days'


 
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1st Day

Nerves were kicking in this was the 1st time i was to be manager at the start of the season. I wish i had more time to spend with the players and to bring better players in but time ran out sadly.

1st game of the season is against Dover who are promotion candidates so an upset will be on the cards. As i got onto the bus to head towards 'The Crabble' the players were bouncing i could see the excitement of playing there 1st game for Carshalton and for myself. After seeing it that i knew that the players were going to perform.

We arrived at 'The Crabble' with gale force wind pushing us through the door. I couldn't wait to get this season under way i was adamant a good season was on the cards.

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