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Champions ChapterThe CHAMPIONS CHAPTER reviews the historic season in the eye of the players who made it such a successful campaign as Orton Rangers were crowned Premier League Kings.Number 1: James Marrett 25 year old James has just completed his fourth season with ORFC and has improved with every one. He was a regular in the side for three-quarters of the campaign and struck up a fine partnership with Brian Treanor at the head of the Rangers attack, starting 22 times in league and cup. He lost his place towards the end of the season first to Dean Billingsley and then Craig Smyth in the Cup Final. He returned in the last two league games however and scored two goals taking his total to 16 for the season. He also weighed in with 7 assists. What would you say was the best ORFC performance of the season? JM: Thatís quite a tough one. We have had many good games this season. Case Star on the first day was an excellent performance, as was Med Bar (away). Overall I would have to go for the 9-0 semi-final win against PH Cardinals. We were superb all throughout the match and every player had a very good game. What about the worst? JM: Thankfully there has only been a couple. We were poor against Norton Flyers (away) in he Challenge Cup but still won 1-0 but the worst we have played was away at Orion when we lost 2-1 and were simply dreadful. It was extremely hard to select a man of the match Ė we were all poor. What would you say was your best personal performance of the season? JM: My first club hat-trick against PH Cardinals (6-0) when I came on and scored three quick goals was memorable but overall I would go for my performance in the 3-2 defeat at home to St Marys. I was very pleased with my contribution. I scored both goals as we went 2-0 up in such a big game but sadly it was not to be and we lost. What was the best ORFC goal of the season? JM: There has been so many. We have scored some good individual goals and some very good team goals. I remember Brianís goal against Orion at home; Jinkoís free-kick away at PH Cardinals in the semi and Cheekyís thunderous strikes against Med Bar in the Final and away at Kypros take some beating. But I think Greggís curler into the top corner in the semi at Cardinals gets my vote. It was a typical piece of skill from him at the end of a fine move. And what would you say was your best personal goal of the season? JM: My goal against Great Barr at home (won 7-3) where a corner came out to me and I smashed in to the roof of the net with my left foot. I donít tend to get too many good goals to be honest!! I also enjoy any goals with my head and there has been three this season. What was the most memorable moment of the season? JM: Without doubt it has to be Simonís goal against Med Bar and the celebrations where he skipped across the pitch like David Pleat!! Everyone went mental and mobbed him. It was top drawer. And the worst? JM: Losing twice to St Marys was hard to take. Especially as we were 2-0 up in the league game against our biggest rivals. Being 3-0 down after 20 minutes at Halfway was also a very bad moment. But losing in a cup final is a terrible feeling and the 4-2 defeat against Med Bar was for me the worst moment. When was the moment you thought we were going to win the league? JM: Right from the start I always believed we were going to win it. We had a great pre-season which was a major factor. We have also improved our attitude and team spirit this season and become a real team. The one defining moment during the season was for me against Med Bar away. After winning that game we all had real belief in ourselves that we were going to do it. Was there any moment you thought we would NOT win it? JM: Not really although the successive defeats against St Marys at home and Orion away made things look a bit bleak for us. Being 3-0 down to Halfway (away) also gave one or two of us a few doubts but I always believed we were destined to win it this year. Most amusing moment of the season? JM: There has been several but the ones that stick in my mind were Blain and Nickís argument before the Case Star away game about the opposition goalkeeper. Any one of Greggís famous rants at Cheeky. Noakesy diving to head the ball when it was on the ground at PH Cardinals. But I will opt for Simon at home to Halfway when he went past two players, shoved me out the way and went to blast the ball in with his left foot. Only he completely mis-kicked it, fell over and had the whole ground in hysterics!! How do you feel about your own contribution? JM: I had a good pre-season and carried it on during the early part and was quite pleased. But like the rest of the lads the break we had due to the weather affected me. I also suffered during the run-in and became tired due to playing too many games and eventually lost my place. I know there is a lot, lot more to come from me but overall though I was delighted to be a part of a title-winning team and I played in over 75% of the games. Finally, who was your player of the season? JM: In a side that wins the championship everyone plays their part and we have had a number of top performers this season. In particular Noakesy has been tremendous and his signing was a coup for us. Also Brian has done very well and scored 22 goals, many of which were at crucial times. But I voted for Gregg who has not only been an inspirational leader but has also has been consistently good all season and the main source of our goals. Number 2: Peter Cheshire 21 year old Peter first joined the ORFC ranks at 15 years of age. After two seasons he left for pastures new with St Gerrards but returned towards the end of the 1999/2000 season. After being in and out of the team for the first nine games, Peter went on to make the left wing-back slot his own making 23 starts in all competitions. His enormous long thow-ins were a major contributor to many Orton attacks and he claimed 10 goal assists in total. He also finished the season with a commendable 6 goals. What would you say was the best ORFC performance of the season? PC: Thatís tough that is. You could say Cardinals the 9-0 but it wasnít a specific great performance because they were poor. I think St Marys away, that 2-2 draw. I think we played some good stuff. Performance-wise Iíd probably give that the best. What about the worst? PC: First half against Drink Stop Celtic, but for the whole game probably Orion away. It was disappointing because I knew the kid who got the winner and told people to sit on him but he scored. What would you say was your best personal performance of the season? PC: I thought I had a good game against St Marys in the 2-2 away. I played quite well in the Final, well I had a good first half anyway. All round Iíd give it the St Marys game. What was the best ORFC goal of the season? PC: There was a couple. Beaverís at the end of the season where heís chased the kid down (Great Barr at home). That was a remarkable goal. I quite liked Gilboís flying header against FMN away. That was a cracking header. Iíd probably give it The Rat. It wasnít anything spectacular he just chased the ball down from nowhere. And what would you say was your best personal goal of the season? PC: My one against Kypros was a better goal but the one in the Final is the one thatís always going to stay with me. It was a cracker, to be fair Ė I loved it. What was the most memorable moment of the season? PC: I think the period where we beat Drink Stop Celtic. Up to that we had a really good pre-season. Everyone was feeling fit and we had a good team bonding and we were doing teams in the last 20 minutes. That to me will stick out. And the worst? PC: Losing to St Marys when we were 2-0 up. That was just shocking because they all came from set-pieces. Against Orion at home (3-3) where we hit the bar five times and missed chances. I couldnít really call it between them two. When was the moment you thought we were going to win the league? PC: I thought we were going to win from the start. I was so confident. It all really came together when we beat Med Bar when it was in our hands. That was the point I think. Was there any moment you thought we would NOT win it? PC: I didnít really have a doubt. We had the bad run one after other when we lost three games, one in the cup. We did well to pull out of that. Most amusing moment of the season? PC: Well it was quite amusing when Ging went down like a sack of potatoes against PH Cardinals. I didnít think he was injured and everyone started laughing which was out of order. Or against Drink Stop, Duggy had gone down with his knee. A couple of minutes before, Nick told him to try and make the most of his marker being on a yellow card. Duggy had gone clutching his knee and I thought he was trying to get the other bloke sent-off. Little did I know he was out for the season. How do you feel about your own contribution? PC: I was disappointed at the start of the season. I donít think I justified myself for the first few games. I sort of pulled it together and the height of my season came towards the end. My best performances were against St Marys away and in the Final and I will remember my goal against Kypros. Finally, who was your player of the season? PC: Well I voted for Nozza. I thought he had a cracking first ĺ of the season. Not just his tackling abilities but he is a good motivator. My other contenders were Brian. He had a good season but went a bit unnoticed because he was expected to score goals. Gilbo was cracking and kept the side together in the first part of the season. I could have given it to Ferret as well as he done a lot of quality balls to be fair and a couple of good goals on the way. Number 3: Paul Thatcher Paul, 26, first played for Rangers aged 18. He spent two seasons with Tame Sports before returning in 1997. Centre-half Paul has been a mainstay of the Orton side for four years and was a integral part of the best defence in the Premier League last season. Paul is also a bit of a set-piece specialist and is the regular penalty taker. He started every game for Rangers and scored 6 goals, 4 from the spot. He also registered five assists, most coming from the front-post corner routine where Paul is virtually unstoppable. What would you say was the best ORFC performance of the season? PT: I donít think weíve had one game head and shoulders above the rest. Weíve been consistent. Although we were playing a poor team, PH in the semi was very good and our attitude was spot on. The most pleasing one was Case Star where we won 2-0 away because it was tough. It was 0-0 at half-time and could have gone either way. We came out 2-0 and it gave us a lot of belief. What about the worst? PT: The worst period of the season we had was when we were 3-0 down against Halfway. Out worst attitude of the season was away at Orion. I though we got intimidated a bit. Fez went off and we lost it a bit. That was bad. What would you say was your best personal performance of the season? PT: I thought Reddicap at home in the cup was pleasing. Purely because the game we played them before that I was quite off the pace and got a bit of a runaround. But this time I had the better of it. The best start I had was Kypros at home when I scored that header. But overall probably the one I looked back with most satisfaction is that Case Star game. Thatís when I felt fit so I will say that. What was the best ORFC goal of the season? PT: Fezís against PH in the semi was quality. Gilboís header away at FMN was good, but I would go for Fezís. And what would you say was your best personal goal of the season? PT: Set-pieces spring to mind. The free-kick was very satisfying (against PH). Probably my most favourite goal was the header against Kypros because everything was right; the run and the cross (from Cheeky) coming back post. What was the most memorable moment of the season? PT: Possibly the comeback against Med Bar because I though we were out of it. I will probably say that as a turning point. If we would have lost that the league could have gone. And the worst? PT: Away at Halfway because up until then I didnít think no one had really give us the runaround. The defence has been excellent all year. That game was probably the worst half hour weíve had. It was frustrating for me personally as well. When was the moment you thought we were going to win the league? PT: I though before the season started weíd have a chance if our attitudeís right. At the end of the day we will get better with every season we play together. The turning point was probably Med Bar away when I knew weíd win it. Was there any moment you thought we would NOT win it? PT: When we came back from the break we lost three on the trot. Itís the sign of a good team that they come back and I didnít know whether we would. Most amusing moment of the season? PT: One of them was when Ging took a drop against PH. I knew you shouldnít laugh because he got injured but that was very funny. Simmoís little weak left-footed shot or whatever it was against Halfway was comical. Itís got to be one of them two. How do you feel about your own contribution? PT: Iím pretty much pleased. Nowadays Iím playing in a very, very good team. You canít hide, youíve got to do your bit. The start of my season was excellent up until Halfway away I lost a bit of confidence. My game had changed. I used to look back and think ďIíve took this bloke on; Iíve did his in my own areaĒ but now Iíve started to think about stopping people scoring and making tackles. Itís about the team. I see what people like Nozza and Mick are doing for the team. Finally, who was your player of the season? PT: Nozza has obviously made a big difference and is an excellent player. Again Mick is a brilliant defender. One player has surprised me in the fact that he has come on and thatís Fez. He never hides and is very fit. Iíve never ever seen any one player in our standard of football create so much. Fez opens things up Ė itís amazing. So Fez without a shadow of a doubt. PLEASE CONTACT THE SITE IF YOU HAVE A COMMENT TO MAKE ON THIS FEATURE OR IF YOU ARE A PLAYER WHO WOULD LIKE TO BE INTERVIEWED FOR CHAMPIONS CHAPTER |
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