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June 2006
Mark Thomas stood on the shoreline of Elberry Cove skimming stones into rough sea waters. The dark clouds of anger would take some time to dissipate.
A couple of passers by nudged each other to make sure that their friends had seen the ex-professional footballer.
Now 40 years old and out of the game for several years he was still well known.
A 10 year stint at Chelsea plus a glittering England career made sure of that even before he had added to his profile with regular appearances on Question of Sport and Match of the Day.
Mark himself was in a world of his own.
Another chapter in his life had come to abrubt end.
All roads point to Rome was the old saying but in his case all roads pointed back to one meaningless challenge in an end of season match.
Whilst Mark had been philosophical about the tackle the press at the time had a field day. “Savage by name savage by nature” was one particular headline from the tabloids leaving no imagination to who had been involved and what the press felt about it.
The tackle itself was of a typical premier league affair, a challenge for a 50/50 ball.
Mark was 36 and lucky still to be playing at the highest level.
The press furore worsened by the loss of a key component of both Chelsea’s final drive for honours and the looming World Cup in Japan & Korea.
A holding midfielder with the ability to pass the ball was a rarity in English colours and the experienced pro significantly added value to the World Cup squad of 2002.
But that was all long gone now!
Another chapter ended?
Despite his many doubts he had signed up for ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ and the signs were promising. Mark was having ‘fun’ if that was the right word, training, learning something new and yet mixing with some of his best friends. After a hard day he would meet up with some of the other competitors including ‘Early Doors’ Dawson for a catch up and a drink. But just when things looked bright and the energy and adrenalin of competition had kicked in the knee pain had returned with vengeance.
Jimmy Tarbuck replaced him. The irony was not lost – a much older man, ‘a pensioner’ was basically fitter than the ex-Chelsea man....
Another stone found its way to the sea bed as Mark.
He actually laughed as he thought to himself Celebrity Big Brother 6 it is then..... an offer which basically was still on the table.
The phone sparked into life with the ring tone breaking the personal gloom.
Hi Mark
Hi…
It’s Paul, Paul Bliss sorry to bother you but I got your number from your agent.
I want to talk to you about an opportunity.... a bit of a wild shot really but I want you to help me out. I’ve bought a football club and haven’t got a ‘Scooby Doo’ (clue) about the football side of things. Basically I though you might be interested.
Old school pals and all but I’d really value your opinion and after speaking to your agent I’m under the impression you haven’t much on at the moment.
Paul, thanks for the offer but I’m not a coach and have absolutely no desire to be a manager so I’m not sure what help can offer, even for an old school mate.
A brief wrap up and then the call ended.
Over the next few days Paul didn’t give up and one week later Mark walked through the doors of non league Western Super Mare.
‘Friends reunited’ maybe but Paul had only persuaded Mark to help him out for a few weeks nothing more nothing less.
Claire, Marks wife had persuaded him in the end hoping that football and the buzz of action would see a return to the old Sparky!
Woodspring park home to Weston Super Mare was a tidy modern ground perfect for league football. Just one problem the town had never seen league football and was still two divisions away from making that possibility a reality.
The ground itself was a new development created as part of a council and a local supermarket joint venture allowing 3000 fans through the turnstile.
Ok, 450 per game based on the previous years attendance figures but at least there was room for growth Mark thought as he reviewed the previous season’s stats using an online search engine. The facts were unpleasant for any WSM fan.
2005/6 another season of mediocrity with the team just avoiding relegation.
Mark flicked through to the local paper website to discover that the team was highly fancied for relegation this time around and 15th was at best a dream for the local journalist reporting on the club.
1st of July was officially the first day Mark became linked to the club. Albeit with no contract and Mark still committed to nothing more than ‘a suck it and see approach’ the supporters and local press were delighted as the news broke.
The tabloids were querying the date and wondering if the clock had got stuck on all fools day. No joke as the local press soon found out.
Mark arrived at the ground in his Black Porshe just after 8am and a media scrum ensued not seen since Gazza had pitched up at Kettering.
Mark was quickly escorted to the sanctity of Paul Bliss’s office whereupon he spent the next few hours reviewing the squad. Like any expectant father Paul Bliss had spent this time pacing the board room until he thought that he had better check to see if his old friend had done a runner or gone mad at the prospect of managing the team.
In fact Mark had been pleasantly surprised. A tidy squad of determined but youthful group of players had been assembled more by luck than judgment.
To improve on the season before an additional goalkeeper and a pacey striker were a must. On the downside someone had given a playing contract to a 41 year old.
Paul poured two cups of tea and after a long pause as he thought and fought for the right words – what do you think?
Mark stood up and looked out of the window and gazed at the pitch.
The sight made him catch his breath. The sun was shinning gloriously onto the lush green grass and he could feel his pulse race at the sight. The ground staff were busy at work and the sound of grass cutting could be heard from the far end of the ground.
He turned towards Paul who looked as if he was about to explode with stress and began to spell out exactly what Bliss had actually got for with his purchase of the club.
“You have no additional money for buying players, wages are under control and all of the player contracts are part time which will limit the development of the club if you want to realise your ambition for this club.”
“But I reckon with hard work, luck and a couple of signings you have got a better chance than anyone gives your club credit for.”
Paul leapt out of his chair and said “that’s great news, now all I need is a manager to make sense of all of this. Do you know of one?”
Mark laughed but still had no intention of signing up for any long term role.
Paul, tell me ‘what plonker’ gave a playing deal to a 41 year old who if I’m honest I’ve never hear of and based on his performances last year should have been put out to grass.
Paul coughed and turned bright red. That would be me…. This embarrassed confession turned into a coughing fit as he nodded in the direction of the open office door.
Mark turned to see two men standing nervously in the doorway.
Paul Bliss quickly ushered them into the room and introduced Mark to Mike Kilgour Asst Mgr and 41 year old central defender and then in turn to Mickey Miller team coach.
Introductions completed Paul left the room to the football men.
Both WSM staff men were very nervous of Mark during their initial conversations. Neither were sure of their futures following the club takeover and the arrival of a supposed footballing superstar.
Mark calmly put them at ease explaining that there would be ‘no major changes and all 22 players and staff would get their chance to impress’.
This changed the mood of the meeting and both men relaxed as Mark asked them questions, told them of his initial club review and in some detail the style of football and tactics that he wanted to explore.
After two hours it was time to meet the players and to watch the remainder of the training sessions. Mark had been true to his word, there would be no groundswell of change whilst he was at the club. Business as usual in all aspects.
The players sat on the grass at the end of training listening to Mark, the younger ones in particular with mouths open in awe as they heard for the first time how they would play from now on.
Then again it might have been the phone call from Becks wishing him good luck.
The style of play would be very different from anyone else and would be carved around pace, power and hard work.
442, but with the emphasis on wide play from the defence to attack.
The intention was of turning the opposition defence, opening space for the attackers or for the central midfielders and then to create chances.
All of the players seemed particularly relieved that they would remain at the club and that no deals would be done to bring in new or high profile players.
Six friendlies prior to the start of season would be a fair marker for everyone as to how the club would perform and no one was in any doubt that winning or losing in no equal measure would determine the length of Mark’s stay.
A hectic six week programme had started in earnest on the 8th of July.
The alarm clock burst into life at 6am, Mark was up, showered and out of the house by 6.30am and on his way to meet the team bus due to leave WSM at 7.30am.
After 4 years of not being in the folds of a team, Mark had forgotten how much he had enjoyed the banter of the long coach rides, the cold changing rooms and the abuse from the stands. The terrace jokers could always be heard above the noise of the crowd.
The 6 weeks, covered 6 games producing 6 wins which allowed someone from ‘the Sun’ to create the banner headline “Mark of the devil”
The players had enjoyed the period and morale was buoyant.
Paul Bliss couldn’t believe that the team was producing this quality of football especially as it was exactly the same group of players he had watched for 40 odd games last year.
He knew that there was only one thing that was different.
‘Mark’
The contentious issue of a contract was still not up for discussion and Mark had made it clear that he didn’t want one.
He was admittedly having more fun that he could have imagined and now that the press interest had disappeared quicker than a ‘sat nav in an unlocked car’ life had become almost routine.
The players and staff were benefiting from his experience and without doubt the lack of major changes or upheaval had eased life at the club. Confidence was high and even the press were suggesting that maybe life in mid table was a possibility.
The team had settled down to the style of play dictated and the goals were beginning to flow.
The 4:3 win over Bristol Rovers the most pleasing especially as WSM were 3 down at ½ time.
Whilst Mark was certainly more Ranieri than Fergie in management demeanour the hair dryer treatment had worked and the turnaround superb.
A strange quirk of the fixture computer meant that WSM would not have a home game until the 3rd game of the season.
August fixtures would provide away fixtures at Histon, Bedford and Dorchester and home games versus Havant, Braintree and Fisher.
Mark had set up a programme of monthly meetings with his staff and Paul Bliss in attendance.
This allowed Mark to set goals and prioritise workload and to keep everyone focussed.
The August meeting had looked at the 6 games ahead. Mark had to laugh that the number 6 kept reappearing but he made sure that no one was under illusions of immediate success.
Of the first 6 games Histon and Dorchester would show WSM in true light – wins and maybe life in this division could be much better than last time around anything different then a relegation haunted season could well be on the cards.
Strictly No Dancing? 
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