Off The Bench

This is the story of the rollercoaster ride that has been and continues to be my time in non-league football. It features some of the players, places and incidents seen and heard in over twenty five years as a non-league manager, and also some of those things that have been part of my life outside the game while I've been trying to earn a living!Football Management is not all about the European Cups, FA Cups and Internationals or the successes of Alex Ferguson, Harry Redknapp or Arsene Wenger. Sometimes its about the lower end of the game and the Gordon Bartlett's of this world. Gordon has spent 25 years as a Manager in Non League football with Southall, Hounslow, Yeading and Wealdstone. He's been to Wembley twice as a Manager for FA Vase Final's, won numerous Leagues and Cup's with his various sides and he's never been sacked which is rare in itself. He's also been instrumental in the development of a number of players that have gone onto the pro game, from Les Ferdinand to Jermaine Beckford, Marvin McCoy and Carl Martin. This is the story of his career, some of the players and places and the situations that arise managing at clubs with little money and with players who aren't on contract while working for a living as well. At the very least, the stories and the situations will put a smile on your face......