CHARLIE HORLOCK INTERVIEW

Club captain Charlie Horlock was keen to speak to supporters to address the current difficult period the club are going through. He said to me that supporters must be thinking what the hell is going on after ten consecutive defeats. He knows that there is no point denying it has been an unacceptable run and that what started as a blip has unfortunately worsened.

Charlie thinks our biggest problem has been conceding soft goals which have really undermined the team. Not all performances have been bad (apart from Long Eaton and Berkhamsted) and opposition teams have felt they have done well to beat us. But good periods of play have been undermined by soft goals and there has also been a lack of clinical finishing. Injuries definitely played a major part in the downturn in results and being a young squad has not helped as there has been a more fragile mentality. But Charlie maintains this is still one of the strongest squads since he has been at the club. He felt that while we were probably punching above our weight when we were in the play-off positions earlier in the season we did get there on merit.

In the longer term Charlie feels the players will benefit from this bad run and will come out of it stronger. The players need to think about the good things they achieve in the game and not dwell on errors which can create a tension among them. Confidence has been knocked and players have sometimes been taking the safe option with passes and going square and backwards. We need to be braver and need to execute our game plan better. We have to be more robust to prevent soft goals amore ruthless with our chances. We have to trust ourselves more and this is being addressed.

Charlie maintains the players are a really good group and are united. They are going in to every game with a positive attitude and he feels their good characters will lead to a turnaround in results. Indeed Charlie thinks the whole club is full of good people—players, management, officials, volunteers and supporters and he is impressed the way everyone has stood together.

At Monday’s training session the players had their own meeting and Charlie used his leadership group made up of senior players to spell out the situation we are in. The squad were told not to feel sorry for themselves and it was stated the losing run was unacceptable and the right mentality was needed and business heads had to be engaged. Charlie said the players took on board the messages given and were united. They have to roll their sleeves up and scrap for every ball.

Charlie wanted to thank our supporters for their incredible support with increasing numbers despite the losing run. The players really are determined to repay them for the loyalty that has been displayed. Charlie also backed manager Mark Burke and his management team. He said Mark was the main reason he stays at Hitchin and is one of the good guys. The players really owe him.

Finally Charlie strongly believes that out of this adversity we will come out stronger and the players will learn from it. Everyone is pulling together and there is a real determination to turn things around.

Many thanks to Charlie for confronting this difficult period in our season.

ROY IZZARD