Welcome to the journey of 31 year old Stan Barkley, a hot headed Scotsman who is taking the plunge into the depths of football management!
Barkley grew up on the outskirts of Glasgow, he was an average performer at school just about obtaining satisfactory grades. He left school not knowing what he wanted to, at the age of 18 he was offered work in the Scottish mountains as a woodcutter, he jumped at the chance even though it was tough work, long hours and dismal pay he stuck at it for 10 years, his passion in life was football and lived for the weekend, watching the football wherever he could, down the pub with a few pints, or on the odd occasion he would manage to get tickets to a game.
One day when up the mountains he was on a lunch break, sat on his own with just the sounds of birds and his own thoughts, he was considering a change of career…he had recently read about coaching badges and licenses and anyone could apply and become qualified! Ten years as a woodcutter but his real passion was football.
That weekend he researched Coaching badges some more and ended up booking his level 1.
Two weeks had passed and Stan was just leaving the sports centre where he had just obtained his level 1 badge, he was thrilled and was instantly thinking about booking on to the more advanced level 2.
Once he had his level 2 he could in theory apply for coaching jobs.
Stan had been contacting local clubs about volunteering at weekends with his level 1 badge, one club came back with a positive proposal, Queens Park in the third division of Scottish football had offered him a voluntary position as coach of the youth teams but he had to obtain his level 2 badge within a month….
A month had passed and Stan Barkley was working hard five days a week in the mountains, and would travel home to Glasgow to take up all his weekend with coaching youth football at Queens Park.
He was loving every second of it and it was a real release for him and the sport he loved.
He had grown close to the current manager at the club and they would often spend time together debating the talents of candidates in their youth squads…everyone at the club could now see Stan had a real knowledge about football and he seemed to effortlessly get that across to his pupils.
6 months had now passed and it was a month before pre season for the next campaign, he just about had signal up the mountain where he received a phone call…
“ Stan Barkley”
V “Hi there Stan its Victoria the receptionist at Queens Park, I have some bad news! Walter Gardner has sadly passed away! He died last night of a suspected heart attack.”
Stan was silent, lost for words, the man he had grown so close to had gone!!
S “I cant believe it, I will come down to the training ground as soon as I can as I know the youth players will be pretty shocked!!”
http://i41.tinypic.com/1586w5e.jpg
Walter Gardner
A week had passed since Stan had the call about Walter, and the phone rang again!! This time it was the Chairman of the club!!
C “Afternoon Stan, I have just found a letter left to me by Walter (Pause) It seems he knew he was ill and had written me a letter!
He states in the letter how close he has become with you and how you have such a natural coaching ability, and his last wish is he wants you to replace him as manager!!
I will let you read the letter in full when I see you next.
S “Wow that’s come out of the blue, I didn’t expect him to write that about me”
C “ So how about it Stan, will you become Queens Parks new manager?”
Barkley grew up on the outskirts of Glasgow, he was an average performer at school just about obtaining satisfactory grades. He left school not knowing what he wanted to, at the age of 18 he was offered work in the Scottish mountains as a woodcutter, he jumped at the chance even though it was tough work, long hours and dismal pay he stuck at it for 10 years, his passion in life was football and lived for the weekend, watching the football wherever he could, down the pub with a few pints, or on the odd occasion he would manage to get tickets to a game.
One day when up the mountains he was on a lunch break, sat on his own with just the sounds of birds and his own thoughts, he was considering a change of career…he had recently read about coaching badges and licenses and anyone could apply and become qualified! Ten years as a woodcutter but his real passion was football.
That weekend he researched Coaching badges some more and ended up booking his level 1.
Two weeks had passed and Stan was just leaving the sports centre where he had just obtained his level 1 badge, he was thrilled and was instantly thinking about booking on to the more advanced level 2.
Once he had his level 2 he could in theory apply for coaching jobs.
Stan had been contacting local clubs about volunteering at weekends with his level 1 badge, one club came back with a positive proposal, Queens Park in the third division of Scottish football had offered him a voluntary position as coach of the youth teams but he had to obtain his level 2 badge within a month….
A month had passed and Stan Barkley was working hard five days a week in the mountains, and would travel home to Glasgow to take up all his weekend with coaching youth football at Queens Park.
He was loving every second of it and it was a real release for him and the sport he loved.
He had grown close to the current manager at the club and they would often spend time together debating the talents of candidates in their youth squads…everyone at the club could now see Stan had a real knowledge about football and he seemed to effortlessly get that across to his pupils.
6 months had now passed and it was a month before pre season for the next campaign, he just about had signal up the mountain where he received a phone call…
“ Stan Barkley”
V “Hi there Stan its Victoria the receptionist at Queens Park, I have some bad news! Walter Gardner has sadly passed away! He died last night of a suspected heart attack.”
Stan was silent, lost for words, the man he had grown so close to had gone!!
S “I cant believe it, I will come down to the training ground as soon as I can as I know the youth players will be pretty shocked!!”
http://i41.tinypic.com/1586w5e.jpg
Walter Gardner
A week had passed since Stan had the call about Walter, and the phone rang again!! This time it was the Chairman of the club!!
C “Afternoon Stan, I have just found a letter left to me by Walter (Pause) It seems he knew he was ill and had written me a letter!
He states in the letter how close he has become with you and how you have such a natural coaching ability, and his last wish is he wants you to replace him as manager!!
I will let you read the letter in full when I see you next.
S “Wow that’s come out of the blue, I didn’t expect him to write that about me”
C “ So how about it Stan, will you become Queens Parks new manager?”
So my first story has started, i will write in 1st and 3rd person sometimes when it suits!! Hope everyone enjoys it and maybe we have the next Alex Ferguson on our hands here
Please comment to drive this story along as comments will only spur me on to make this story a great, maybe a story of the month
A Scottish managers rise or demise!!
