00:01Paul, back to back to back, three in a row, 5-1 against Gloucester in a playoff final.
00:06They're pressure games, they can be tight, they can be tense, and in that second half, you blew them away.
00:10What a special day for the club and the town.
00:11Great day for the club, great day for everyone, you know, players especially.
00:15They give so much, we've recorded in six weeks, and this is what it's all about, getting this home tired
00:21for the final.
00:22And they produced.
00:24Yeah, I mean, you obviously knew tickets sold out so quickly, but what was it just like, you know,
00:28getting here today, before the game, everything, you know, building up to it, how was it all?
00:32Yeah, it's a strange one, you know, it's such a long weekend being on a Monday, you know,
00:36you just want the game to come around, but it's been a long weekend waiting for it.
00:40But yeah, we got here and there's such a good vibe about it, the group were confident, and yeah, we've
00:48gone away.
00:49Yeah, obviously, we blew them away in the second half, but actually, the start of the first half,
00:52pretty quick out of the traps as well, and that sort of first 10-15, had a few early chances
00:56there, could have, yeah.
00:57Yeah, it was, we wanted to get out of the blocks, you know, we went back to what's produced the
01:02goods for us,
01:03because we haven't had time to really play it, and that's the start we wanted, we just couldn't nick a
01:08goal,
01:08and I think they settled into it quite well, and it sort of evened out to be quite a 10s
01:13first half.
01:14And then at half-time, whatever you said, obviously had the desired effect, straight at them, full throttle,
01:19start that second half.
01:20Yeah, it was, it was just, I think, you know, it got to a stage, I think, the last 15
01:23-20 minutes,
01:24where it was a little bit, it was a little bit reacting to things, rather than getting on the front
01:29foot, I think,
01:30and then, you know, we had to change that a little bit, and pick up the seven, we just did
01:34a little, a few things.
01:35But it was, it was the toughest decision today, because that was the plan today, to bring Bill on.
01:40Best player in the league, most experienced, and I needed him on the pitch at the end of the game,
01:46to control it, rather than bringing him off. I thought when we took him off on Wednesday, you know,
01:51we sort of, we looked, lost of idea, and I don't think he was happy with the decision,
01:57but, like a top pro he is, he took it on the chin, and he's come on, he's delivered exactly
02:01what we wanted,
02:02maybe not a hat-trick, but, yeah, he's been brilliant.
02:06Yeah, you know, he came in from Farnborough, you know, proven quality, proven pedigree,
02:10on the big day, off the bench for a second half hat-trick, and some really, you know, composed finishes
02:14as well,
02:14showing his class there, no panic, just stroking it in, just real composure.
02:18Yeah, great finishes, and even in the middle of the party, you know, to, at times, you know,
02:22Matt McKenzie, he's, he's, he's fresh to success, and, you know, he laughs at a couple of things,
02:27which he, he's going to get better at, as he gets older, and then you see Bill come on,
02:32and just, you know, produce it, and take it out to full-backs, and just did pay the game.
02:36Daz has come through the leagues, he's been the talisman, pressure penalty Wednesday,
02:40another pressure penalty today, you know, at 0-0, and, you know, delivers again there,
02:44didn't he, so.
02:44He does, yeah, he does, you know, I've had so much trust in him, he's my go-to man,
02:48when we first signed, that's the one I wanted, and he's never let me down, and, yeah, today,
02:53you know, going back to the box, you know, we have had to manage him for five weeks,
02:57or six weeks of football, to get him to this moment, and he's done it again.
03:02Bobby Joe came in from Dorkin in the summer, you know, another proven one, and, you know,
03:06he's, you know, been quality throughout the season, and delivered, delivered a big moment
03:10in the game of the year, because the third goal, really, you know, to go 3-0, that,
03:13you know, I've only got one back, but that's a real quick and important one.
03:15Yeah, it's so quick as well, you know, another one that can travel with the ball,
03:19and take the pressure off the back, and, again, another one's been phenomenal,
03:23all season, great quality, and match winners, you know, that's what we brought him in for,
03:27these moments like this, but there was a big moment in the game, you know,
03:30JJ's clearance off the line at 3-1, that goes 3-2, and it's a real nervy 15 minutes.
03:36As soon as that went clear, and we broke, and run, got the fog, that was it, it came over.
03:41Owen Dean, you know, came through the club, you know, as a youngster, he's come up the leagues,
03:44and on the big day today, he was almost unplayable out there at times, he delivered.
03:48He was, yeah, again, moments, man, you know, he rises to the big occasions,
03:53he's had a long six weeks, looked a bit leggy at times, but he can produce again today.
04:00And, you know, a core of players, you've done the, you know, the back-to-back-to-back,
04:02all three, you know, Owen Dean, Jack Dean, Ryan Kinane, Harry Cooksley, Joe Jackson,
04:08I mean, there's so many.
04:08Daryl Sanders.
04:09Daryl Sanders, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
04:11They've just, you know, risen up through it, and obviously you've added to it well,
04:14but, you know, that core has really sort of gone up through the leagues, hasn't it?
04:19Yeah, everyone can say what they want, you know, budgets and whatnot,
04:22and, you know, we took them to step five to get here,
04:26but they produced and they took the journey on,
04:29and hopefully they continue the journey.
04:32Obviously, the first two, you know, first promotion, very much, you know,
04:34heavy, heavy favourites to win.
04:36Even the second promotion, pretty, pretty well favourites.
04:38This year, you know, you fancy your chances probably to be in around the playoffs,
04:41but maybe, you know, you'd have had that demand to go up,
04:45but for some people at the club, you know, maybe slightly exceeded this season, maybe.
04:49I don't know, yeah.
04:49Oh, as a group, hey, we want to compete at the top,
04:52but that is the aim, you know, start it down with Harry at the start of the season.
04:56Can we be a top eight side?
04:58Can we compete in the playoffs at Christmas?
05:00You know, if we can give it a go, we give it a go,
05:02and we fully, you know, believe that we could give it a go with the team I've got.
05:08And they're good, you know, we've overachieved.
05:10There's no beating around that.
05:12People can say what they want.
05:14We have got back in, and we can produce what we want to produce,
05:17but these boys fully deserve, like you say, six or seven from step five,
05:21continuing this journey.
05:23And over 56 games, I think, you know, we've lost 10 games in the league,
05:28eight, only six teams have beat us in the league,
05:30and it's a massive testament to everyone involved.
05:33And the mentality and character you've had to show since the end of February,
05:37it's been three, four games a week, every week, relentlessly.
05:39Yeah, I've just got, just take my hands off to the boys.
05:43It's been one after another, after another.
05:46Coach journeys of the coach, getting in at two, three,
05:49looking in the morning, going again.
05:51And, yeah, I'll just say, proud of them.
05:53Obviously, it was always, you know, set up beautifully today for a good match,
05:56it's a good Gloucester side, but, you know, you wanted the win,
05:59but to do it in that style, just perfect, perfect for the year
06:02and the club and the town and everyone, really, isn't it?
06:05It's perfect.
06:05It couldn't have asked for any more.
06:07It was, you know, it got tense in the first half,
06:09and, yeah, the way we come out and blitzed them to try and ease those nerves
06:13and the last ten minutes was, you know, it was fun and we could all relax
06:17and, yeah, we head to step two.
06:20Obviously, you're going to enjoy your celebrations, no doubt,
06:22and I'll let you get off in a minute, but, you know,
06:23it's another challenge to look forward to next season now at step two,
06:26isn't it, National League.
06:26It's a new challenge, big challenge.
06:28One, you know, we'll enjoy tonight.
06:30And, yeah, I've got a meeting with Harry tomorrow and Frankie
06:32and we'll start planning for next year.
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