Over the years I am often asked what is the best and worst aspects of the job?

My reply is always the same the best is winning and the worst is losing and nothing can be worse when you`re travelling back on the coach following a massive long journey when you have lost. No one is saying very much and your left to your own thoughts.

The coach journey is the complete opposite to when you have won. I always looked forward to Away games in many different ways especially over the many seasons i did in the Southern League and formed solid friendships with my opposite numbers like Alan Morris at Farnborough Town, Joe Miller at Fisher Athletic and Bob Lucas at Weymouth enjoying many a post-match drink in each other`s treatment room.

It was through Bob and those conversations together with my own research that many years later I was able to recognise through The Football Medical Association post humorously an Outstanding Contribution award for Physio/Trainer Jim Headrige the youngest to hold such a position when head trainer at Middlesbrough and later Bolton Wanderers and head hunted by Ron Atkinson to join his backroom staff at Manchester United, who he described as the best in business for the impact to football Medicine and individually be it teaching the FA courses or bringing the role away from the white coat to more of a tracksuit job.

Sadly, though Jim tragically passed away only three weeks and just two days before the start of the 1981/82 season into his dream job at Old Trafford when he collapsed whilst out working with the injured players at United’s Cliff training ground.

I recall many of those conversations with great fondness. Away games are always special first of all you on the road so your preparation must be right it would start on a Thursday evening at training firstly checking what strip we are playing in so I take the correct colour sock tape. It used to be tie-ups and I would cut them up the night before each game. Now it is tape and more tape.

On match day I see my physio my role of support in the build-up of pre-match and the game. You are there to facilitate what the players are trying to do and to make the task a little bit easier in any way that you can.

Always remember that what the players are trying to do is very difficult under trying circumstances and often against the odds.

The work on the training ground is done, the tactics and plans are laid, Injuries of the running repair variety are as good as they are going to be for this game...Match day is hear.

All staff contribute to making that day as ‘right’ as possible for the players to do their best.

The nuts and bolts of preparation by the backroom staff is done to the same level of care and attention for all matches and players.

There are some pressures and demands produced by playing away. But these are dealt with as far as possible by staff and not allowed to intrude into the players awareness which could deflect him from the job in hand that he has to do.

The was a time when everything that was needed, kit for playing and all the medical gear was in one skip and players helped themselves from that in the dressing room as they all arrived together. I prided myself in  having the dressing room looking like a showpiece, kit, medical supplies everything immaculately set out for that on arrival the players have everything they need. It would set the mood, so that everyone felt they was in business as soon as they walked in. It is important you set your standards.

The sort of people who do this job are by nature ‘belt and braces’ types whose motto is ‘just in case’! And it is easy to take that lightly. But it really means I care. Having cared for players for over 30 years. A lot of those “Just in case” plans are never needed, and players and indeed managers will never know that such back up was there. I even carry black arm bands in sealed packet! Over the top may be, but the principle is a good one.

As a result, everything is carried to cover any eventuality, back up training kit, variety of sizes and in the medical you cover all the likely possibilities.

In the routine equipment such as the ubiquitous strappings it is wise take many more than just enough. And in more unlikely areas such as cervical collars, a variety of sizes, a selection of knee splints and ankle braces, box splints and a pair of collapsible crutches and a DEFIB, in the medical skip goes adhesive felt; antiseptic cream and liquid; antiseptic wipes; bandage scissors; blister patches; heat rub; deep heat; EAB (elastic adhesive bandages); under-wrap; chiropody kit; suturing kit; inhaler; smelling salts; Vick vapour rub; massage oil; Me-fix; saline pods; talcum powder; athletes foot cream and powder; chiropody felt various sizes; Vaseline; Tubifoam for toes; Tubigrip; (three sizes);  soap; scissors (sharp/blunt); Strepsills; Swiss Army knife; pliers; orthotics; dressings; captains arm band and a lot more besides.

Things have changed as I said earlier and today almost more time is spent preparing in the dressing room before the game than actually playing it.

Players all have the different ways of ‘getting through’ this time before they walk down the tunnel. Some need more support than others, and it is for staff to accommodate that and help without intrusion into a player’s mental preparation.

The mix of players can be vary wide from old sweat seen it all, to the youngster making his debut. Nerves can be a strange phenomena and it may be that the old sweat may suffer more than the youngster full of the bravado of youth.

Players will want everything from a massage on their hamstrings to a special match-day strapping that they never bother about all week in training. Some want attention early before going out for the pre-match warm-ups. Others like leave things to the last minute.

Somehow the Physio must fit this all in without seeming to be under pressure or hurrying individuals. You must always have time for the most trivial requests and be able to find something as if by magic.

Players will develop a sore throat on a knee strain within minutes of kick off...  none of which will be remembered after the game or be any consequence during the hurly burly of the contest. None of this is a criticism of players. They are performers who are about to go on stage. The same as would actors, pop singers, ballet dancers, athletes and tennis players and it is a common thread running through each of them. We who do not have to face such tests, must understand and support them at this time.

In closing this article which most club Physio’s will be familiar with anyway, I will finish on a personal note.

I did nearly two thousand games with Oldbury United, Halesowen Town, Hednesford Town And Stourbridge. And well over 600 youth and schoolboy games with Wolves. So, I put myself in the ‘old sweat’ bracket.

Having said that when we go down the tunnel to music being played, the heart thumps and you feel a little bit taller. Can you imagine how the players feel? 

Give them all the help you can.

Someone ounce asked me what advice I could give to physio’s who want to work in football? Be prepared to lug kit the job is constantly involves packing equipment and unpacking equipment with all the travelling involved.

(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.)