INTERVIEW WITH EX-PERSHORE TOWN MANAGER, QUENTIN TOWNSEND...

When you were a kid, which pro-team did you follow?   

"Aston Villa..."

Did you have trials at any pro, or semi-pro clubs?   

"As a schoolboy I trained with Oxford United and Walsall before being taken on by Wolves on a YTS scheme when I left school, aged 16."  

QUENTIN AT WOLVES...

On completion of my YTS term I was offered a professional contract by the late Graham Taylor. After Wolves I signed for Hereford United in the second division where I made my Football League debut at Fulham in a 1-0 defeat.

Can you tell me what happened as a youngster so that you ended up playing non-league?  

 "After Hereford’s relegation to the National Conference I decided to step away from full-time football and pursue a full-time profession in sales, whilst playing semi-professionally.   

A HEREFORD BULL...

It just made sense to me at the time to use my football money to supplement a proper full time vocation more so than the other way around."

Which clubs have you actually played for during your career?   

POWERING IN AT THE RICOH FOR SOUTHAM...

"Wolves, Hereford, Worcester City, Bromsgrove Rovers, Redditch United, Stourport Swifts, Stourbridge, Cinderford, Racing Club Warwick, Southam and of course Pershore Town!"

Which period of your career would you consider your most successful? 

"The most success I had was when I was at Redditch United; we won a double promotion to the newly formed Conference North."

When were you at your happiest playing football? 

"The most fun I had was at Bromsgrove Rovers; a great group of young lads at that time who all socialised together week in and week out. I’m still in contact with a few of those lads to this day."

Were there any coaches/managers that you actually learned valuable advice from? If so, who were they and what things did you learn? 

"The best coach I have ever worked under was Kim Casey during that Redditch United winning season. I have had the pleasure of working for many great managers; Graham Taylor, Graham Turner, Rod Brown, Gary Hackett and Steve Daley."

What qualities should coaches & managers have, do you reckon? 

"You have to be personable with the players you work with because every player needs handling in a different manner."

As a manager, what qualities do you look for in your players before signing them? Strength, fitness, size, maybe? Or perhaps skills, individuality, or pace? 

"For me it is none of the above, I simply look for the right attitude."

Where had you coached and managed, before you went to Pershore?   

"My first management role was at Southam United during which time I guided them to two cup finals in my first season and a 7th place finish in the league. Pershore was my second management job..."

Which players, both team-mates and opponents have impressed you during your career? 

LOOK AT THOSE NAMES...

"During my professional career I played against some great players: David Beckham, Paul Scholes, Gary Neville, Nicky Butt, Dion Dublin, Chris Waddle, Rod Wallace, Fabrizio Ravenelli, Juninho, Emerson and Branco. I always liked the challenge of marking a so-called big name!"

MARKING A TOP PLAYER...

If you could name a select team to play in from players you have played with, including yourself, what would it be?

"I will make this just about Non-League:

1. GK - Richard Anstiss
2. RB - Jack Taylor
3. LB - Asa Charlton
4. CB - Shaun Griffiths
5. CB - Gary Knight
6. CM - Richard Softley
7. RW - Simon Hollis
8. CM - Josh Cole
9. CF - Mark Owen
10. CF - Lee Booth
11. LW - Phil Preedy"

What do you consider have been your strengths as a player and a manager? 

"My strength was always my desire to win and to lead by example. I believe I was born to lead and that is perhaps why I was club skipper at virtually every non-league club that I played for and why the transition to management seemed so smooth for me."

Have you scored any memorable goals in your career? Can you tell me about them please! 

PLAYING AT SPURS FOR WOLVES' YOUTH TEAM...

"I perhaps didn’t get as many as I should have. I probably averaged 3 a season but my most memorable one was a header I scored at White Hart Lane in an FA Youth Cup game for Wolves against Spurs."

Are there any controversial incidents from your career that you could tell me about? 

"I was never too far from controversy during my later times in Non-League and I think that this was because I was brought up as an old school centre-half. I always loved a 40/60 challenge against me, let alone a 50/50 and sometimes my desire to win the ball came across the wrong way. You can’t change that though having had it drummed into you from the age of 16." 

Which professional players have influenced you over the years? 

"As a young lad growing up I idolised a centre-half called Shaun Teale who played for Villa. I wanted to be like him one day, not great technically but he loved to defend and wore his heart on his sleeve. 

STEVE BULL AND QUENTIN...

When I was at Wolves I looked up to seasoned professionals like Steve Bull, Paul Birch and Gordon Cowans and just being in a dressing room with them taught me so much."

Which professional players have been your favourites through the years? 

"I admired Italian legend Fabio Cannavaro, again because he was a great defender and he epitomised everything I wanted to be."

DEFENDING FOR PERSHORE...

Who would you most like to thank for affecting your career through the years? 

"Again I’m going to say Kim Casey, the ex-Kidderminster Harriers legend, mainly because not only did he improve me as a player but he shaped the way that I formed my early beliefs about management, without me even realising it." 

DON'T LOOK OVER YOUR SHOULDER...

Where would you like your coaching career to take you, eventually? 

"I would one day like to be involved in full-time football again. However it’s such a harsh and short environment, though I’m not sure that I could sacrifice my real full-time job now that I have a young family to consider." 

THOUGHTFUL MANAGER...

Finally, would there be some amusing incidents you would like to tell me about? (Maybe strange grounds, crazy off the field happenings, daft players, or weird incidents in matches?) 

"I’ve had some crazy laughs along the way from sleeping in my car on the Bromsgrove Rovers car-park after nights out, alongside saving a penalty in a Bromsgrove/Redditch derby in front of 1000 at the Victoria Ground against my old club. 

Dennis Mulholland deserves a mention at this point, the craziest guy I’ve met in football. I remember one time Rod Brown being in the middle of a team-talk in the dressing room at Redditch and literally Dennis fell out through the ceiling dressed in a Batman outfit, he must have been up there for ages just waiting... Hilarious..." 

EMERGENCY GOALIE v BROMSGROVE SPORTING...

Quentin Townsend...