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Apologies
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Copied a link from the Liverpool Echo on an article on Paul Fairclough but it was awash with clickbait etc. So I have deleted the link.
Apologies to one and all. Please feel free to delete.
Edited by Roulette Len at 16:20:47 on 21st March 2024
Edited by Roulette Len at 16:23:16 on 21st March 2024
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Article Full Text
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I was released by Liverpool, battled with Sir Kenny Dalglish and Sir Alex Ferguson, but now face a new fight
Paul Fairclough is one of the longest-ever serving England managers and has a career spanning encounters with Sir Kenny Dalglish and Sir Alex Ferguson, and working alongside Arsene Wenger
"They'll have to drag me kicking and screaming."
A parting quip from Paul Fairclough as he recounts an illustrious yet unorthodox career in football that has seen him have skirmishes with Liverpool icon Sir Kenny Dalglish, rub shoulders with Arsene Wenger, and have his goalkeeper sent off after 30 seconds against Manchester United.
While the names in Fairclough's squad do not have the same ring to them as the ones in Gareth Southgate's, players who have won England C caps in the past include Ethan Pinnock, Jamal Lowe and Andre Gray, who all went on to play in the Premier League.
Fairclough spent his formative years playing in the streets of Liverpool, attending St Phillips then Litherland Secondary Modern and Kirkby College. After starting out at Liverpool, where he trained alongside Ian St John, Roger Hunt and Ray Clemence, Fairclough failed to make the grade in the professional game but enjoyed a strong career around non-league, mainly in the south of the country with Wealdstone.
Fairclough moved into teaching and it wasn?t long after his time in education that Fairclough started coaching, acquiring his badges and taking the chance to take over Stevenage Borough, who are now challenging at the upper reaches of League One, in 1990.
?I applied for a job at Stevenage Borough and I had a 10-year plan that I had to win four or five championships to get into the Football League - we did that, we pulled it off in six years and that was probably one of the lowest points in my career that I ever suffered," he told the ECHO.
?There was a rule that if your ground wasn?t up to scratch at Christmas, then it doesn?t matter what condition it was in at the end of the season. It went to the High Court in London, I had to listen to the verdict and it was like being told I had climbed Mount Everest and to go down and try again. It was pretty traumatic.?
However, it was with Boro that he managed against his footballing hero. In the 1997-98 FA Cup, Stevenage, then of the Conference, were drawn at home to Newcastle United, who were then managed by Dalglish.
To set up the glamour tie with the Premier League giants, Boro beat the likes of Carshalton Athletic, Cambridge United and Swindon Town. Stevenage would take Newcastle to a replay after holding them to a 1-1 draw at home, against all odds, but their dreams were shattered controversially as Alan Shearer?s double downed them 2-1 at St James' Park.
The winning goal was deemed over the line, despite an acrobatic clearance from a Boro defender. Defeat aside, the match still leaves a bitter taste in Fairclough?s mouth.
He continued: ?We had a press day and Alan Hansen was among them, he thought we were going to get battered - and to be honest I thought we were going to get battered. A lot went on, a lot of nonsense went on with that game.
?Newcastle within days jumped on a train, we got a tip off that they were going to be coming down and our chairman had a television crew waiting for them.
?They must?ve went back with some kind of wrong impression but I got invited to go and see a Newcastle game - I got a phonecall and I thought it was one of my players taking the p***, they were imitating Kenny Dalglish, I realised that it was.
?I thought we were going to get battered, I stretched my hand out to shake his and he didn?t so I was quite saddened by that because he was certainly an idol of mine but I didn?t let it get in the way because the man was immense.
?We went up to the replay, I lost several players through injury, Terry McDermott was on the bench as the assistant, Alan Shearer hadn?t played for four weeks and he scored once in the home match and twice in the away (replay).
?One of which, it was proven by a local university that one of my players made a spectacular overhead kick clearance but the referee gave it.?
Fairclough would go on to have another spell with Stevenage, before enjoying recurring spells with Barnet, who he would manage in the Football League
It is approaching 20 years since Fairclough led the Bees to League Two after beating Halifax Town 3-1 to end their four-year absence outside of the Football League. There are fond memories of his time there, as well as memorable moments such as Ross Flitney's red card inside 80 seconds against Manchester United - a game they'd go on to lose 4-1.
During his career, Fairclough has also had consultancy roles with the likes of sports manufacturer Nike and Premier League winners Arsenal. With the Gunners, he drummed up a strong relationship with then-manager Wenger after taking up the role of a scout for the North London club. With the American sports brand, he provided training courses to all of their clubs around the world, ranging from under-7s to the international squads, including Brazil, with experiences of working alongside Ronald Koeman.
Following his service to Stevenage, he was entitled to a testimonial. One quick phonecall to Wenger later and a pre-season date was pencilled into the schedule, which saw Dennis Bergkamp, Martin Keown, Kanu and Tony Adams, among others, line-up at the Lamex Stadium.
"I asked if he could do me a favour and do the testimonial match,? Fairclough recalls. ?He said absolutely straight away, bringing every single first-team player; Dennis Bergkamp, Martin Keown, Kanu, Tony Adams - he is an absolutely fascinating man.
?One of the greatest thinkers of the game and a great honour to be in the same room as him and advise him, it was great, a proud moment to do that.?
Twenty-two years have passed since the star-studded day for his testimonial. Nowadays, Fairclough is into his second decade in charge of the England C team, who he takes charge of for the 75th time tonight when they take on Wales C.
Although it is a battle on the pitch, due to varying factors, it is also a fight off the pitch, with funding scrapped. Volunteers now run the non-league Three Lions despite having a rich history, which has seen the likes of Thibaut Courtois line-up against the stars outside the English football pyramid.
Despite the setbacks and the frequent fighting, Fairclough?s passion remains heading into his 22nd year of service. The Liverpudlian expresses his pride and also details the near-misses, while recounting some of the stars who have gone on to enjoy professional careers, including Pinnock, of Brentford, Gray, formerly of Burnley, and a certain Jamie Vardy, who was too old for England C selection by the time he landed on Fairclough?s radar.
He said: ?I?ve been doing this for 22 years. It?s been fantastic. When you?ve done it for so long, you tend to forget how many players you?ve affected or reached out to on the pathway in their careers. I?ve managed 100s of games for England C and it is a real honour, it?s an England shirt and an England cap and not everyone can represent their country.
?I have to pinch myself when I think that I?ve been doing it for so long, I?ve had great memories, experiences and we?ve travelled to some great places. I?m going to fight to get the England C recognised again because it was considered as part of the FA DNA but it?s not any longer, I will keep fighting to get back it to where it should be.
?I am proud to be from Liverpool, I wouldn?t have it any other way. I?ve got years left in me, I?m fortunate enough, fit and strong and I will continue until someone says: ?come on, you old git time to go?. But until then, they?ll have to drag me kicking and screaming.?
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1 person
Re: Apologies
Views: 389
Brings back memories of Boro away at Chesham. His young daughter climbed on to the top of the terrace roof! There was a mad scramble during the match to get her down! What a great bloke Mr Fairclough was.
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Re: Apologies
Views: 598
I didn?t know he was a scouser
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