You are here: Home - News - Winning and Losing a Way of Life  
 
Winning and Losing a Way of Life
Winning and Losing a Way of Life
By Gavin Blackwell
Friday 27 March 20 I 08:38:31 I Photo by

I am often asked the best and worst aspects of doing the job I do. For me personally it is winning and losing – those are the things that we have to handle the most during the long season. It is important for the highs not to be too high and the lows not to be too low, it is certainly a very fine line.

 

The worst things can be sitting on the coach following a long away journey, no one is saying very much, and you are pretty much left to your own thoughts - we have certainly experienced a couple of those in recent weeks.

 

I like all of us give up so much with the dedication and commitment to the role. You miss out on life by being involved in a club, especially with your kids growing up. I have grandchildren now; and when I look at them, I think how I missed my daughters growing up and being bridesmaids or playing in the school plays. Sue and the family have made sacrifices, we have missed out on family events because of me working, we’ve not gone to weddings because I am at work, gone to weddings and left early, arrived late at birthdays or engagement parties, worked Boxing Day and other Bank holidays. We’ve never gone on holiday during the football season, there have been no stag dos, I have missed them all family life suffered so much.

 

The demands of a job in football are excessive and are reflected in the time commitment required. The story is told by my daughter who bought her friend’s home one afternoon to see an unusual sight. Due to the inclement weather, our game had been called off I was sleeping on the sofa in my club tracksuit my daughter points to the “sleeping beauty” and says to her friends “look I told you I had a father.”  

 

During my many years I am often asked “you’re doing well at the minute aren’t you” yes, we are but you are only ever as good as your last game. It is important not to get carried away and as a management team to have a sixth sense and that is being guarded against complacency.

 

I am still a passionate football man I have had to learn to control a flat line. Passion is often needed to get the best out of yourself and the players something I feel is missing today. The merry-go-round keeps spinning and throwing people off into other club’s physio’s barely have time to be emotionally invested in their club and so do, they care? Does it ruin their weekend when that team loses? Does it ruin their weekend when a center-half gets some bad news about an injury? I don’t know if it does.

 

Winning and losing means so much to me especially in massive games because I care so much about the players because I am so passionate about the team doing well. Even on holiday in the summer you’re on the phone you become completely engulfed in the environment it literally is a way of life.

 

I will end with the words of John Motson`s last line of his commentary in the closing moments of the 1979 FA Cup Final. “What must they be thinking on the bench Fred Street the Arsenal physio on the right seems to know it’s almost there it is now Arsenal have won the cup”.

 

(Gavin Blackwell has been involved in the game for over 30 years and has shown great dedication during that time as the physio for a handful of local non-League clubs, most notably Halesowen Town, but also Oldbury United, Tividale, Stourbridge and Hednesford Town, as well as assisting the Wolves academy and WBA reserves.)


(Photo: Express & Star)

Copyright Non League Today. Permission to use quotations from this article is granted subject to appropriate credit being given to the Non League Today website as the source and a link back to the Non League Today website.
Top Stories & Videos
Arlott-John Given Lambs Chance
Vanarama National League North club Tamworth have announced the signing of Leicester-based Dempsey Arlott-John, who has committed to the Lambs for the new season.
McElroy Earns Rebels Deal
 
Experienced Thomas Joins Marske
 
 
Lambs Add Competition for Keeper's Jersey
 
Veteran Defender Joins Warrington
 
New Keeper for City
 
1
 
Oystermen Looking for Young Players
 
What’s it really like behind-the-scenes of a football club?
 
Armani Little Vs Welling National League South Play-Off Final 12/06/19
 
Paul Hodges | Signing On For 2019/20
 
Peter Jameson interview - York City
 
 
     
 
 
Winning and Losing a Way of Life
Winning and Losing a Way of Life
Friday 27 March 20 I 08:38:31
Photo by

I am often asked the best and worst aspects of doing the job I do. For me personally it is winning and losing – those are the things that we have to handle the most during the long season. It is important for the highs not to be too high and the lows not to be too low, it is certainly a very fine line.

 

The worst things can be sitting on the coach following a long away journey, no one is saying very much, and you are pretty much left to your own thoughts - we have certainly experienced a couple of those in recent weeks.

 

I like all of us give up so much with the dedication and commitment to the role. You miss out on life by being involved in a club, especially with your kids growing up. I have grandchildren now; and when I look at them, I think how I missed my daughters growing up and being bridesmaids or playing in the school plays. Sue and the family have made sacrifices, we have missed out on family events because of me working, we’ve not gone to weddings because I am at work, gone to weddings and left early, arrived late at birthdays or engagement parties, worked Boxing Day and other Bank holidays. We’ve never gone on holiday during the football season, there have been no stag dos, I have missed them all family life suffered so much.

 

The demands of a job in football are excessive and are reflected in the time commitment required. The story is told by my daughter who bought her friend’s home one afternoon to see an unusual sight. Due to the inclement weather, our game had been called off I was sleeping on the sofa in my club tracksuit my daughter points to the “sleeping beauty” and says to her friends “look I told you I had a father.”  

 

During my many years I am often asked “you’re doing well at the minute aren’t you” yes, we are but you are only ever as good as your last game. It is important not to get carried away and as a management team to have a sixth sense and that is being guarded against complacency.

 

I am still a passionate football man I have had to learn to control a flat line. Passion is often needed to get the best out of yourself and the players something I feel is missing today. The merry-go-round keeps spinning and throwing people off into other club’s physio’s barely have time to be emotionally invested in their club and so do, they care? Does it ruin their weekend when that team loses? Does it ruin their weekend when a center-half gets some bad news about an injury? I don’t know if it does.

 

Winning and losing means so much to me especially in massive games because I care so much about the players because I am so passionate about the team doing well. Even on holiday in the summer you’re on the phone you become completely engulfed in the environment it literally is a way of life.

 

I will end with the words of John Motson`s last line of his commentary in the closing moments of the 1979 FA Cup Final. “What must they be thinking on the bench Fred Street the Arsenal physio on the right seems to know it’s almost there it is now Arsenal have won the cup”.

 

(Gavin Blackwell has been involved in the game for over 30 years and has shown great dedication during that time as the physio for a handful of local non-League clubs, most notably Halesowen Town, but also Oldbury United, Tividale, Stourbridge and Hednesford Town, as well as assisting the Wolves academy and WBA reserves.)


(Photo: Express & Star)

Copyright Non League Today. Permission to use quotations from this article is granted subject to appropriate credit being given to the Non League Today website as the source and a link back to the Non League Today website.
Top Stories
McElroy Earns Rebels Deal
Tuesday 01 August 23 I 11:30:01
Experienced Thomas Joins Marske
Sunday 30 July 23 I 16:19:50
Lambs Add Competition for Keeper's Jersey
Sunday 30 July 23 I 15:39:11
Veteran Defender Joins Warrington
Sunday 30 July 23 I 15:33:29
Around the leagues
The National League read all the latest news from the National League
Evo-Stik Northern Premier League latest headlines
Evo-Stik Southern League latest headlines
The Isthmian League latest headlines
Hallmark Security North West Counties League latest headlines