Bards reset sees coach depart and training switched
A RESET was needed at Stratford Town after a haul of just five points from the six games going into the match with Biggleswade Town at the weekend.
That was the message from chairman Jed McCrory following coach Dale Belford’s departure and former Yeovil Town and Stevenage boss Darren Sarll taking training in the week leading up to the Bards’ 1-0 win over the Southern League Premier Central’s basement team.
“I know lots of good professional coaches and managers and Darren is a good friend of mine,” McCrory said.
“He has been in the Premier League with Watford, managed Stevenage in Division Two, had many play-off teams and is currently working with Charlton Athletic. He knows the players and has been around the club, watching games back and giving his opinion.
“Sometimes you need to reset. When Gavin [Hurren] left, I brought Darren in for two training sessions to support Paul Davis, not to undermine him but to help us reset. We changed the way we played and I’ve been able to do that by bringing in a different coach which takes away the familiarity.
“After doing that we won nine out of 13 which wasn’t just down to Darren but it made a difference because Paul has been able to carry it through with a fresher mind. Paul is a good coach who cares about the club.
“We have brought Dale in, we’ve changed the way we play and in my opinion it didn’t work. It happens in football, you don’t get all the calls right. It had to change and we needed another reset, so I asked Darren to come in to give Paul a bit of a breather and take the two sessions.
“We brought Dale in because of his previous relationship with Paul. He came in to support the coaching but it is always difficult for a coach to come in when the recruitment has been done by others.
“During the time he was with us I felt there were two messages coming from the sidelines and due to that I had to step in and rectify it. There were too many mixed messages so I had to make the decision. The teams being picked were too inconsistent and I couldn’t see how we were playing to be honest. It wasn’t just about the results, it was about the way we were playing.
“Over the period that saw us play Barwell, Hitchin, Bishops Stortford, Sudbury and Stourbridge, I was making my points clear to Paul and Dale but it got to the point that when we went to Harborough, I was asked by a non-league blogger before the game what I thought the score would be and I’ve said Stratford would lose 3-1 and score a consolation goal because we had picked the wrong team and set-up the wrong way.
“I have been accused of picking the team but I’m experienced in what I do. A lot of those who come and manage and coach at the club are builders, brickies or teachers while I actually have been a football man for years. I am at the club every day and I oversee football – both the academy and the first team. I know the game.
“We have then gone and beaten Biggleswade 1-0. They had drawn with Leiston 0-0 in the week and only lost 4-3 to Spalding on the Saturday. They knew that if they lost to us then it was the end for them.”
