From
www.football365.comHello F365,
Now, I’m not often compelled to write in to the site. I absolutely love all the articles on here and it’s generally my ‘go to’ place for news and such.
I had to change this though, when my little town of Fleetwood has been getting so much press lately. Throw in the scouting and grassroots business and I was already typing your email address into my Gmail account before I knew what was happening.
Anyway, I live in Fleetwood. I have completed the level two PFSA Scouting course in Manchester, and I’m a grassroots coach with Fleetwood Town Juniors and the club secretary. Guess who we see every time we hold a tournament or play a match? Scouts. Scouts everywhere. We’ve had United down, Everton and Liverpool. In fact, the Liverpool scouts and coaches regularly come and put sessions on for our U7’s. Now, I’m not a Liverpool fan (United, actually) but they’re more than aware of what’s going on in the region and it’s brilliant to see. Everton even invited those same U7’s down to their Finch Farm training complex, and you’ve honestly never seen a happier bunch of kids. Premier League clubs aren’t blind, their just sensible. At times…
Anyway, we’ve got a cracking relationship with the official club, but that’s beside the point. My point is this out and out nonsense from Tim Sherwood about Scouts not tramping all around the country to view young talent. About how they’d hate going to somewhere like Fleetwood on a cold, wet night in November (it’s been horribly cold, wet and windy here lately. It always is, but that doesn’t stop people coming. Usually it’s the smell.) Words spill out of his mouth like a drunk man that’s eaten one too many nasty looking kebabs. It’s utter rubbish.
When Jamie Vardy used to play for Fleetwood, there were dozens of Scouts at the ground watching as he banged in goal after goal in a truly amazing season. He’s always been a goalscorer and he’s still remembered very fondly by everyone in the town and at the club. Every time he’s scored recently, the announcers at Highbury…well…announce it. He’s still an awful person for his remarks in pre-season, but like the national media, most people tend to gloss over that part. Which they shouldn’t do. The only reason he went to Leicester, is because they were the only one’s willing to pay a million quid for him. The club rejected loads of offers, but none of them had the incentives that Leicester’s did.
Now, Timmy ‘lad lad, banter banter arf arf’ Sherwood properly annoys the life out of me. I was delighted when he got sacked from Villa, because I firmly believe he is a truly awful football manager, as well as a genuinely bitter person. I can just imagine him and old ‘arry Redknapp, sitting around a roaring fire, lamenting about how their hard done by, and all the foreigners are ruining the game. It honestly makes me warm inside to know that both of them are out of jobs. It’s great. His knowledge on scouting is about as equal as his knowledge on the game. Even regarding using technology. I spent one long, weary (but quite enlightening day) in the company of scouts from all around the Fylde and Lancashire, and they all said that technology was welcome and that it made their lives and jobs easier. Gone are the days of turning up to a match and just praying that it’s not been called off due to bad weather. Now, they can easily check online. They can send an e-mail or a text. Technology will never replace those ‘foot soldiers’ but it will sure as hell make their lives easier.
So, regardless of what Tim says, they’re not afraid to come here to Fleetwood. In fact, we’d not only give them a cup of tea, we’d probably treat them to a cracking Chippy Tea from one of the 40,000 chippies around the town.
Not Sherwood though, he can get tae f***.
Kind Regards
Chris Morton, Fleetwood Town Juniors Secretary