Latest / The PCR Sports Show / The PCR Sports Show - Friday 12th December 2025 - with Michael Gash, Peterborough Sports

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The PCR Sports Show - Friday 12th December 2025 - with Michael Gash, Peterborough Sports · The PCR Sports Show

0:00
Well, good evening and welcome to another edition of
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Peterborough Sports Show. Sorry, PCR Sports show and the
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start of another sporting weekend.
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And our guest tonight is none other than Peterborough sports
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defender Michael Gash. And it'd be fascinating to catch
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up with all things turbines through the lens of someone who
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has played and of course managed at the club.
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Really looking forward to this one.
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But first, over to Nilesh, who's got the headlines this week.
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Brilliant. Thank you very much Nigel.
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And we'll start with football 1st and we'll start with Peter.
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United Women, who face one of their biggest tests in the teams
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history on Sunday, posture at Burnley for a third round FA Cup
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tie which is a 1:00 PM kickoff. The unbeaten hosts a top of
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National League Premier Northern Premier Division One division
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above Posh having won their last six matches.
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They've won ten of their last 12 league games, including all 5 at
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home, scoring 27 goals and conceding just five.
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Posh are enjoying a fine season of their own.
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They have won nine and drawn one of their ten Midlands Division
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One matches and are averaging four goals a game.
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But this type represents a big step up in and news from
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Peterborough Sports who have dropped back into the bottom
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four in the National League N after a disappointing defeat to
1:22
fellow strugglers Hereford. Sports went to great lengths to
1:26
get Saturday's match on 1st by reversing the fixture given the
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unplayable state of the Edgar St. pitch and then to prepare
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their own at Pyms Park after being forced to miss a training
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session on Thursday due to the poor weather conditions.
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All of the effort came for no reward however, as Sports were
1:43
beaten by two second-half goals. The results saw Hereford
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leapfrog Sports out of the bottom 4 on goal difference.
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The sides now sit 20th and 21st respectively.
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The match was Sports first since November the 25th after their
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match at away at South Shields was postponed.
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That match, the postponed one against S South Shields, has
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been rearranged for Tuesday, December the 16th and before
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that sports will travel to National League side at
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Scunthorpe in the FA Trophy third round tomorrow afternoon,
2:13
which is at a 3:00 PM kick off. In Rugby and Peterborough, RUFC
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stayed in touch with the leading pack in Regional to Midlands E
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with an impressive 3820 win at Oadby.
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The win sees Burrough sitting fifth in the table with six wins
2:30
and a draw from 11 starts and they will be looking for win #7
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on Saturday when they host rock bottom Wellingborough in their
2:37
final home league game before the festive break.
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Burrough Director of Rugby Shane Manning was delighted with the
2:44
performance and win at Oadby but has warned his players to guard
2:48
against complacency as they prepare to take on a
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Wellingborough side that has lost 11 out of 11 so far this
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season. Swimming and it's been a great
2:58
week for the City of Peterborough.
3:00
Swimming Club Cops competitors secured an outstanding double
3:04
victory after their A&B teams powered to 1st place finishes in
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the National Arena League finals.
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It was one of the strongest competitive showings in the
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clubs history. The National Arena Swimming
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League is one of the Britain's largest and most prestigious
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team competitions that brings together more than 300 clubs
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from across the country. The A-Team took to the pool in
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Norwich to compete in East Midlands Premier League and they
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delivered a superb performance to take the win on the night
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with a powerful 268 points. It was a final round victory
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that also secured the overall title.
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It is the 11th time in 15 years cops have made the national
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final and their win means that for the second time in four
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years, Cops have qualified for the prestigious NAL Cup Final,
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where the top 10 clubs from across Britain will battle it
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out for national honours. The B team competed in the East
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Midlands B Final at the Cambridge Parkside Pool and they
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performed superbly to beat Cambridge B into second spot by
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a 13 point margin. Coach Ben Negus commented.
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It's been a brilliant effort for both teams to win their
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respective finals and we're excited for the Cup final in
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Birmingham early next year and we'll finish with some hockey. 2
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forms of hockey and roller hockey. 1st and Peterborough
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Roller Hockey Club sadly lost 32 to ECU last Saturday afternoon.
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Matches between these two sides are usually fast and
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competitive, however this one proved to be different.
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Too many times, players from both sides displayed their
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frustrations with having the play disrupted, which affected
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the flow and ebb of the game. Consequently, the match
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generated into a physical battle. 7 cards were issued
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during the match. Peterborough, for their part,
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have had the fewest number of team fouls afforded against them
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over the past two Premier League seasons for that.
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So for them to accrue 9 team fouls in this game explains what
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the crowd witnessed at Bushfields.
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Hatty Ford in the ECU goal had an outstanding game and
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warranted the player of the Match accolade.
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Peterborough huffed and puffed against a solid defensive group
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of ECU players who were very determined to get the result
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they desired. It was a day to forget though
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for the Peterborough Roller Hockey Club.
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They've got a chance though to avenge that result and they'll
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be back in action again tomorrow afternoon in a home match when
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they face Invicta, which is a 5:30 PM start at the Bushfield
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Leisure Centre. And we'll finish with some
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hockey. And City of Peterborough ladies
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go into the Christmas and New Year break sitting top of the
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East Woman's Division 1 N after a hard 42 nil win over mid table
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Norwich City. The win ensures they stay top,
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sorry stay above 2nd place to Cambridge City on goal
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difference with 3rd place Sudbury 4 points back.
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City will start 2026 with what could be a title decider when
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they travel to Cambridge in their next game on January the
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10th. City had played Norwich City on
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the opening day of the campaign, a match that ended in the draw,
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but they had the better of things in this fixture, although
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they were made to work for their win.
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City are striving to make an instant return to the East
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Women's Premier Division after relegation last season and have
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put themselves in a strong position to do so with an
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impressive first half of the campaign.
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And those are your selected news stories this week, Nigel.
6:37
Thank you very much. Lots going on as usual and just
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really interesting to hear you talk about cops.
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They're just incredible what's going on there.
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Still winning trophies and medals even though they they
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haven't got a pool. Yeah, it's incredible.
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I was speaking to a Co chair this week, Ben.
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Sorry, Ben Stevenson, That's his brother Morgan Stevenson.
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And over what's happened. Yeah, he's really proud of the
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achievements that the club are are currently pulling off,
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despite not having a home pool and having to travel to
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Whittlesey and various of their locations to get pool time to
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train. So yeah, very impressive and
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yeah, we look forward to see how they get on in their National
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Cup final, which takes place in Birmingham early next year.
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Absolutely, yeah. Just amazing stuff going on
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there and think we'll have them on the show again in the new
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year. That's the plan, Yeah.
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As I said, I spoke to Morgan and he said, yeah, happy to come on
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in the new year and perhaps even provide us with a few updates on
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how progress is going towards the construction of a new, new
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pool here in the city of Peterborough.
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Amazing stuff. OK, thank you for that, Nilesh.
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We're going to just pop off for an outbreak and then we'll be
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right back with Peterborough Sports.
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Michael Gash. We've got Michael Gash in the
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studio with us this evening, popped in to see us with his
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daughter Poppy, who chose the the music to open the show too.
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And I think we're going to finish off with another one from
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sports that they they walk out to now, but we'll let you find
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out. That's a Michael welcome.
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So, so pleased that you're you're in here.
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I have seen a lot of you this season, even though you haven't
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been playing. Got lots to talk about.
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But thank you for joining us this evening.
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No problem whatsoever, Nigel, Always a pleasure.
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So let's let's start off, if I may, talking about the injury.
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It was a pretty bad injury. Just talk us through what it
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actually. Was an avulsion fracture, which
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is where of the ankle bone. So that is where the ligaments
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have ripped the bone off the bone.
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So yeah, it's a painful one, but also damaged all the ligaments
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as well. So yeah, it's a a slow process
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11 I thought might be not far away by now, but unfortunately
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it's just it's a little bit longer than what I expected.
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But I did do my first bit of running on the grass last night.
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So which is a positive, a positive sign.
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But yeah, there's still a good few weeks to go, I think.
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So wow, that's exciting stuff. So how did that feel last night?
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Just having a little run out. Yeah, no, it was good.
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Obviously when I was in the changing room, obviously with my
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boots on all, you know, all the lads who kind of, you know,
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giving me that little lift of, you know, great to see with your
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boots on again and back out there talking about that and
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also my hair because obviously I've cut all my hair off.
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So yeah, there's a few things to talk about.
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But yeah, just a great feeling to be back out there.
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Like you said, I've, I've seen you there most training evenings
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as well, because I'm there every training session, but I can't
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get involved. So it's been frustrating.
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But it's still good to go into training, get my my rehab stuff
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done with Rizzo and whatever I need to do.
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Most of it is done away from the from the football club anyway,
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all my exercises and everything. So by the time I get there in
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the evening, it's more just like, have a little look at it,
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do a few things with Rizzo and then and then watch training.
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It's amazing. And I was in the crowd when you
10:16
had the injury and it was immediately obvious to a lot of
10:20
people in the ground that it was it was a bad one.
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And you know, you're not that sort of player who stays down
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very much and and you did stay down.
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Did was that in your head as well?
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How did? Yeah, to be honest, to be
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honest, it felt because I've rolled my ankle quite badly in
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the past, you know, a few times, both ankles, and it's painful
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when you do it. But this pain was something
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different. And I honestly thought I'm going
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to look down and my ankle's going to be hanging because the
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pain was was so bad. But thankfully when I did look,
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it was still intact and everything.
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And you know, we've had little discussions whether it kind of
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popped out as well, maybe dislocated but popped back in by
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itself, we don't know. But yeah, obviously the the
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X-ray and everything shows obviously the avulsion fracture.
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So still quite a bad one. And like I said, the road to
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recovery is a little bit longer than what what I thought.
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But again, obviously we mentioned earlier, you know,
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probably something to do with the age as well.
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Well, I wasn't going to quite put it like that, but I I was
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going to come on to you have had a long and distinguished career.
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How does this injury sort of rate with any others that you've
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had? Yeah, I think obviously I've
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really only had one major injury, which is my ACL, which
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is my ACL and told my meniscus when I was at Barnett.
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So I was did that right beginning the season and then
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was out for the whole season. But you know, luckily being at a
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professional club, you, you get rehab every day.
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You know, the, the operation was, you know, 3-3 weeks after
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I, after I did it. So yeah, came back and obviously
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I've never had any problems 8-9 years ago, never had any
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problems with my knee. So which is good.
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And then you, you know, you've got ones where, you know, I've,
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I broke my 5th metatarsal when I was at York, but that was, you
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know, 6-7 weeks, couple of hamstring injuries.
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But again, just nothing major, major this is yeah, this is
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along my ACL, probably one of the longest times I've I've been
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out. I think it's it's three months
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now, just over three months. So yeah, it's it's always
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frustrating when you're injured in football.
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Yeah, you, you, you mentioned the the frustration of it and
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watching the rest of the boys on the pitch this season, but how
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have you sort of kept busy and motivated then while you've been
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away from the game? Well, I think that the
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motivation is is right there in front of you is obviously being
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in and around the football club, seeing the boys training, seeing
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the boys play. Obviously it's much better
13:00
feeling when you win football matches, but seeing the lads in
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the change rooms after, especially when you win, you
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know, a football game. But even when we haven't won
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football games, you know, wanting to be part of that to
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try and help to get, you know, the, the right result.
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So the motivation is just, you know, it's, it's for me to get
13:19
back out on, on that pitch. And obviously a massive part of
13:23
it. Obviously one of them sitting
13:24
right next to me now is my children.
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You know, they come to every home game, some away games as
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well and, and, and watch me play, which we all know isn't,
13:34
you know, too many years left. So, you know, that's a massive
13:37
motivation for me to get back out there and, you know, have my
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family, obviously mum and dad come to most home games as well
13:45
and Sarah comes as well. So it's, yeah, it's, it's a big
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motivation for, for me to get back out there.
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But footballing wise it's to get back out there and and help the
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football, help the football team and help them get the the right
13:59
results that we all want. Just going back, you've had a
14:03
long, illustrious career. Did you see yourself still
14:08
playing football to this age? And how did you see that panning
14:13
out when you first, you know, picked up a pair of football
14:15
boots as a kid, for example? Yeah, it's, you know, every
14:18
boy's dream. Yeah, it is every boy's dream
14:20
and that's all I ever wanted to be was a professional
14:23
footballer. And you know, you see these
14:26
stats about the the percentage of it's like nought point.
14:28
I don't know. It's it's a very small
14:30
percentage. Of, you know, people that make
14:33
it as a professional footballer. So you've got to be proud of
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what you achieved. You know, you always want to try
14:39
and get to the top and play for England and play in the Premier
14:43
League, in the Champions League. But you know, that doesn't
14:46
happen for everybody. And but I wanted to play
14:50
football. I wanted to be a professional
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footballer and I I managed to do that.
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I wasn't too short. I never really looked at it and
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thought, OK, yeah, I'll probably stop at that age.
15:01
I love the game so much and I love playing football and I love
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that that buzz of yeah, in and around the change room is great
15:08
as well. But that feeling of walking out
15:11
on to the football pitch ready to play football, It's just one.
15:14
It's so hard to describe to people that maybe don't
15:18
understand it or don't get it or haven't done it.
15:22
And it's yeah, I've I've to answer your question, I've never
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really gone, OK, I'm going to stop at this age.
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I've just felt my body. Yeah.
15:29
No, I can do another year. Yeah, I can do another year.
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And people look at me and go. He's a big lad, like how is he,
15:35
you know, still doing because you expect someone who's, you
15:38
know, nearly 40 but in great shape, 6 pack, you know, thing
15:42
like, yeah, that must be easy before him.
15:44
And obviously I'm not built like that, but I still feel within my
15:49
body and what I'm capable of and what I can give.
15:52
I still think that, you know, there's something there and
15:54
I'll, I, I will know when I can't play it at this level or
16:00
level blow or whatever it may be or whatever level.
16:03
And I'll know then that it's, it's time to, to hang them up.
16:06
And that will be a tough day. I know.
16:07
Well, let's hope that's a while away yet, but I can certainly
16:10
sense your passion. That fire is still burning
16:13
within you to carry on playing and to do that, you know that's
16:19
not just your ability but your mental state as well.
16:21
It's been tested through this injury now.
16:24
Yeah, definitely. And that's, you know, it's, it's
16:27
really tough. It is really tough because you
16:29
have to no, you know straight away that you're going to be out
16:33
for a long time or, or a fair or a fair time and you, you can't
16:40
sit there and sulk and mope about it.
16:42
You've got to know right, OK, when's the first day that I can
16:45
start doing something on this ankle that leads to that first
16:51
day comeback. And that's how you've got to
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look at it. And every little step is
16:56
important for everything that you do.
16:58
And again, like we said off our joined the gym.
17:02
So I've been there for two months now.
17:04
Dan Jarvis helped me sort that out for his brother.
17:08
And I've been swimming, try and swim most days, obviously,
17:11
either before work or after work and trying to do all my rehab
17:15
stuff that, you know, Rizzo has has given me to to strengthen my
17:20
ankle and you know, and get that back right as soon as possible.
17:24
But it is, it's that it's, and I believe I, I am in that group
17:29
where that strong mentality is, look, you're injured, get
17:34
through it, do what you need to do, get up every day and make
17:38
sure that you're doing this and you're doing that.
17:41
And also I've got a job to do as well.
17:43
I've got, I've got a manager tree company.
17:46
So I've got lads that rely on me there as well.
17:50
And you know, for the first 3-4 weeks from when I did it, you
17:54
know, I couldn't work, couldn't physically do that job.
17:57
And you know, the again, I could mope about and just be like, no,
18:01
I can't do anything. But no, made sure, you know,
18:04
stuff happened. The the, the boss who owns it
18:07
made sure that I was OK and did, did she need to do any,
18:10
anything? But we had everything sorted and
18:13
the lads were fantastic. They worked days a man down
18:16
because I couldn't work and still getting the jobs done.
18:19
So longer plays for them, harder for them, which ensured as well
18:23
that I was getting paid as well. So that side of things as well.
18:28
You've got to get up and you've got to go and attack whatever
18:31
you need to attack and this injury, you get up and you go
18:34
right, OK, I can't play football today, but I can make this ankle
18:37
better to get me to playing football again.
18:41
Yeah, that's, that's fascinating to hear.
18:42
And, and as well, talking about that mental side of it, the
18:47
media team at Peterborough Sports did a little piece, but
18:50
World Mental Health Day that you you did a piece to camera to
18:54
and, and being a senior player in the team has that sort of.
19:01
Do you feel you've got a role to play for the younger people and,
19:04
and talking to them about injuries and stuff like that?
19:07
Is that something you think you can bring to the?
19:08
Yeah, definitely 100%. And I think, you know, we we did
19:14
that when when we were managers as well.
19:16
But I think as a senior player, anything that you think or you
19:21
feel, you can help the younger players.
19:23
And I've been there, I have and I, I say to these players, I've
19:27
been there. I know what you're thinking, I
19:29
know what you're feeling. And it's just, yeah, it's easy
19:32
for you to say Gashi now, blah. But trust me, just trust me, I'm
19:37
not, I'm not, I'm not feeding you rubbish.
19:39
I know how you're feeling. Like injury wise, not playing,
19:42
not happy, whatever it may be. I've been in all them situations
19:46
because I've been in the game, in the men's game since I was 16
19:49
years old. So I've been there and I've felt
19:52
it and the best way, the best way to go about it in football
19:56
is be as professional as possible is be as professional
19:59
as possible and always have that mindset of doing the right
20:02
things, even if they are tedious, even if they are
20:05
tiring, even if they are boring. Trust me, that will get you to
20:09
where you want to be. And whether that's at this
20:11
level, at the a level higher or levels that are below, if you've
20:17
got that mentality, that attitude, that will that will
20:20
help you and I believe as a senior player.
20:22
That is what you can bring on and off the pitch to to players.
20:27
But listen, as a senior player doesn't mean that you know
20:29
everything and you'll learn something new and you'll learn
20:32
something off a young lad one day and that's where the the
20:35
best players, they'll soak it all in.
20:37
So. Amazing and it's it's it's so
20:39
brilliant to hear you be so positive.
20:41
Maybe we should get Poppy on the mic after the break and find out
20:44
what you how grumpy you're really good at home.
20:46
But we're we're going to go for those breaks now and we'll be
20:50
back with more from Michael after these.
21:03
You're listening to PCR sports. OK, welcome back then.
21:11
We've got Michael Gash in the studio, a player of course at
21:14
Peterborough Sports right across the city.
21:18
And if you want to listen in again to the show you can
21:22
certainly do that. That will be online at
21:24
pcrfm.co.uk. Just pop along to listen again,
21:28
or probably sometime tomorrow we'll have them up on our
21:32
socials as well so you can go back and listen to what
21:35
Michael's got to say again. OK, Michael, we'll just carry on
21:39
a little bit about the injury then.
21:40
Christmas is looming large. Will this be your first
21:45
Christmas away from the game injured?
21:48
I can't remember. I can't remember, but I just, I
21:52
just remember Christmas of always trying to enjoy it,
21:57
especially obviously when the children came along.
22:01
You know that that was the the main part about Christmas scene.
22:04
Your, your children opening their presents, how excited they
22:07
are for Christmas morning. But always knowing that I've got
22:12
a game the next day. And I'm trying to think if I've,
22:16
if I've ever had to leave on a Christmas evening to then go and
22:20
and be where wherever I was playing.
22:24
I really can't remember. But I know I've always known
22:27
that that Christmas is and Christmas New year is just the
22:32
same as every other week to me. You've just got a special day.
22:34
Like I say, especially when the when Poppy and Edward came
22:37
along, a special day on Christmas Day to spend with with
22:40
the family. And, you know, bigger range of
22:44
family come, you know, all come into one house or close friends,
22:48
whatever it may be and enjoying that Christmas Day.
22:50
But looking around the room, you know, and everybody's, you know,
22:56
merry and enjoying themselves and conversations start to start
23:00
where you think you wouldn't have, you wouldn't be saying
23:03
that if you didn't have 3 glasses of wine.
23:04
But yeah, I, I just sit there and I enjoy it with family and
23:10
friends wherever I am. But knowing I've got to prepare
23:15
as well for the Boxing Day game and it's it, it can be a tough
23:21
one where you're seeing everyone enjoy themselves and have a
23:23
drink. But at the same time, when you
23:26
arrive for your game on Boxing Day, that feeling like
23:30
especially with a Boxing Day game, I know it's an old
23:32
tradition of that, that going out on that pitch on Boxing Day.
23:35
And especially if you get a good result, nothing beats it.
23:39
And that's when you know, when you turn up there and you're
23:43
ready to play, that's when you know.
23:45
That's why that's why I don't drink.
23:46
That's why I don't stuff my face.
23:48
That's why I don't stay up until 1:00 AM because this is what I
23:52
really want to do and this is where I really want to be.
23:55
You want to be with your family, that's fine.
23:57
But do that and and do that right and do that with the right
24:01
mindset that everything I'm doing is to try and get result
24:05
the next day and. That's giving you the best
24:06
version of yourself for the rest of the squad on that match day
24:10
as well. So there's, you know, you, you
24:12
may be individuals, but collectively you've got to be
24:15
ready on Boxing Day. Yeah, exactly.
24:17
And if you know you, you have a good team and you have great
24:20
characters and you're and you're all together.
24:23
I know what I'm doing is right. But I also know what, you know,
24:29
Mark Jones is doing, Dan Jarvis is doing, the Ryan Fryer is
24:33
doing, you know, Max Booth miles away.
24:36
I know they're all doing the right things on Christmas Day so
24:41
that us as a collective, and by the way, they're just names have
24:44
come to my head, the whole squad that as a collective, like you
24:47
say, I'm doing it right, but I know he's doing it right and
24:50
he's doing it right. So that gives us the best
24:53
opportunity and the best preparation for us to achieve
24:56
our goal the next day. And you, you sort of owe it to
24:58
the fans as well. You talked about how important
25:01
football is, especially on Boxing Day, that tradition, you
25:04
know, families come together to use football as their, you know,
25:07
and social gathering sometimes as well.
25:09
So you owe it to the fans that are coming on match days to
25:13
perform to the best of you. Yeah.
25:14
Definitely. Obviously you're listen, you can
25:17
say the wrong thing sometimes, but you're, you're taking people
25:21
away from their families on Boxing Day.
25:22
Like you say, it's a tradition and, and some people are know
25:26
it's going to happen and say, yeah, go enjoy yourself.
25:28
It's Boxing Day taking a son, their daughter, whoever it may
25:30
be. They're taking the whole family,
25:32
like you said, but some people might be, oh, it's Boxing Day
25:36
should be here, but they're spending their good earned money
25:39
to come and watch, come and watch you play.
25:42
And and it's it's a sport. It's a it's a family community
25:48
game. It's that football is for
25:50
everybody to enjoy, for the players to enjoy it, playing it
25:55
and for the fans to enjoy watching it.
25:58
And yes, some fans are not happy.
26:00
Some fans are happy, but I had this conversation with my dad
26:04
yesterday when the World Cup prizes come out.
26:06
I was thinking, what's what's going on?
26:08
Yeah, what's going on? Because that that's ruining it.
26:11
You want people to be able to afford to go and watch football
26:14
and enjoy it. And obviously, like you say,
26:16
Boxing Day is a great addition and to have people out and and
26:19
people to come watch you on Boxing Day is, you know, it's a
26:23
fantastic feeling. Yeah, you just digressing
26:26
slightly on that World Cup scenario.
26:27
I mean, I've got family in Canada and America and I said,
26:29
you know, oh, I'll come over. You think that's fine.
26:33
Flights are now what the flights are.
26:35
But then you look at the ticket prices, they're more than the
26:37
flights in some instances. And it's just, you know, for a
26:40
football fan from Europe, especially because European
26:43
football fans will travel to support their, their home
26:46
nations, It's, it's going to be inaccessible for them.
26:49
And you know, the responsibility.
26:52
Well, that's a different subject in itself, isn't it?
26:54
But you know, people expect you to come and perform to your best
26:57
of ability when you're when you're playing.
26:59
Yeah, I know. And that's it If, if you're, if,
27:04
if your nation gets some group stage to the final, it cost you
27:07
6 grand in tickets. And I just think like, what, you
27:11
know, it should cost you 6 grand in tickets if you went to seven
27:16
or 8 World Cups. Yeah.
27:18
But yeah, ticket prices are. Yeah, that's.
27:21
That's a. That's a separate subject in
27:23
itself. It's another.
27:24
Story. Another show?
27:25
Yeah, nothing but. So Christmas this year, then
27:27
Boxing Day, this year's King's Lynn away.
27:30
What about sports fans? Are they gonna see your face
27:32
around the plate on at King's Lynn?
27:34
Yeah, I'll definitely go there. Obviously always enjoy going
27:36
back to to the walks. Obviously former club, but yeah,
27:40
I'll, I'll be there 'cause there's, you know, there's a
27:42
good chance that I'll probably be doing my own stuff on the
27:46
pitch anyway. So, and obviously it's not, it's
27:49
not too far anyway. So go support the lads and and
27:53
the team and obviously we've always had a good, a good amount
27:58
of fans that go to that game, you know and in, in this league
28:02
we've had, you know, some some good results against them as
28:05
well. So I'll be looking forward to
28:06
it. Just wishing that, you know, I
28:08
could be part of it and you never know, but I'm pretty sure
28:11
I I won't be ready by then. Yeah.
28:13
Well if if you are running the belt on the pitch in the warm up
28:16
like you say that, that might be enough to get a few of the fans
28:19
out of the bar. Before the game maybe, but
28:22
before then, Big day tomorrow for the Club FA Trophy game at
28:28
Scunthorpe, which is a very tough tie.
28:34
That must have been. I'm talking now about the the
28:37
run you had in the FA Trophy last year.
28:40
That must be one of your best memories at sports.
28:43
Yeah, definitely. Obviously that was a bit of
28:45
history that was, that was made by, you know, everyone at the
28:48
club and you know, myself and Luke, we, we speak about
28:53
sometimes like the achievements, and that's definitely one of
28:55
them right up there. You know, to get to the quarter
28:58
finals of, of the FA Trophy for competitive sports is a, is a
29:03
massive achievement. And yes, sometimes and obviously
29:08
I, I, I know the, the, the gaffer and every manager, your,
29:12
your league is, is your bread and butter.
29:13
That's the most important and that's how it should be.
29:16
But if you can get a good run in in a cup, not only does that
29:20
give a, you know, a great feel around the club and for the fans
29:23
that get excited as well, and obviously financially as well,
29:28
it's a little bit more money coming in.
29:30
It just gives it, you know, all the players as well.
29:32
Just that extra bit of confidence.
29:34
And like you say in in this competition, you can play teams
29:38
in the league above and you can beat them, which then, you know,
29:41
that feeds into the players and that feeds into back into the
29:45
league and that confidence of what you can achieve, you know,
29:49
everyone together. And if you're beating teams in
29:51
that league, just imagine what you can achieve in this league.
29:54
But it was a great, yeah, a great run and and something that
29:57
was, you know, that was brilliant.
29:59
And obviously Gaffer's old team house.
30:02
Well, I I did mention that when I.
30:04
Interviewed him yesterday, but as as as well talking to Phil
30:08
last night, he was saying exactly the same thing.
30:11
You know, the league is the bread and butter, but he he had
30:13
a little smile on his face. He's looking forward to tomorrow
30:15
as well because it's that pitching yourself against
30:18
so-called higher teams that you know, are they any better?
30:21
They're in a better league. But you know, on your day you
30:23
can beat anybody. And indeed, that game at
30:25
Gateshead must be really frustrating that you didn't
30:28
start better because you've finished the game totally the
30:30
better team and and should have won maybe.
30:32
Yeah, it's. We look at that as talking to
30:36
Dan Jarvis in the gym yesterday or I can't.
30:39
No, not yesterday, maybe Wednesday.
30:41
And we were saying about that and just some, it's actually at
30:45
breakfast. We had breakfast.
30:48
Just some chances, yeah, yeah, just some just some chances that
30:53
that we had in that game. And then just the way we started
30:57
to how we finished or even that second-half, that whole
30:59
second-half of it got when it got to three two you just the
31:04
momentum with us and everything like that.
31:05
You're just thinking that third goal's coming and you could
31:07
sense it that they would have been feeling like it.
31:10
Oh, Oh no, we can't. We can't let this slip 3 nil up
31:13
and then you know us coming back.
31:15
But yeah, it was. And that just shows you how
31:16
important it is to start games right, because you're in the
31:21
game back in the game when you were three nil down.
31:24
If you started right, just imagine where you could have
31:26
been so and you're that close, that close or that far away from
31:32
being in the semi final. So but yeah, it was it was
31:36
still, you know, something to be proud of.
31:39
But like I say, if you can get a good cup run, then it's
31:42
brilliant for the club. But you everyone knows the the
31:46
main focus is, is always the league, but we'll be looking
31:49
forward to tomorrow and a tough game.
31:51
They're doing well in their league.
31:53
So we will hopefully go there and I know obviously the squad
31:59
that we've got, the players that we've got, we we will make it
32:02
hard for them and hopefully come over the win and it was, it's
32:04
the cup. Run just brings a breath of
32:06
fresh air across the whole place, doesn't it?
32:08
I remember that last year with the Kidderminster win and then
32:11
going up to Gateshead and everybody getting excited about
32:14
that. It really did.
32:15
You know, League is your bread and butter.
32:16
But that helped, didn't it? That helped you take?
32:19
Yeah, yeah, of course. And that's what it is.
32:20
It is just that that feel good factor of, you know, we beat,
32:27
you know, we beat Dagnan, we beat kiddie, you know, full time
32:29
teams in in the league above. And that that feeds through the,
32:34
you know, the whole squad of what you can achieve.
32:38
You know, when when you put your mind to it and when you you
32:41
start games properly and not slow and and making sure that
32:47
everything, you know, we just talked about everything you do,
32:49
your preparation, everything is is key to to your match day.
32:53
And yeah, like I say that that cup run was was brilliant and
32:57
obviously me personally scoring against the former club in the
33:00
last minute with, you know, Poppy and Edward there as well
33:04
watching. That's yeah might not have been
33:08
in front of thousands and thousands, but that was that's a
33:11
feeling that we'll live, you know, long in the memory.
33:13
I know that is there any any other thing that?
33:15
Sticks in your head with your your thinking back to your
33:18
management days at sports. You know any other that Yeah, no
33:22
me and. Listen, Luke's one, one of my
33:24
best mates. So we we talk a lot most days
33:27
and we were only talking yesterday.
33:28
He was at breakfast as well. We were, we were only talking
33:31
and just saying. Just saying about, you know.
33:35
When you look back and you you could you know, the obvious one
33:38
and like for me as well, obviously the kiddie one.
33:40
But we look back at games and and we spoke about the
33:43
Scunthorpe game when they first came down the 11 at home away to
33:47
them like third game of the season or something like that.
33:50
Great result for Peter was sports playing Scunthorpe.
33:54
You know, eight years ago there were 10 divisions apart, Buxton
33:59
away in the snow, a full time outfit, South Shields away.
34:05
You know, both times the the 2 two and the two one, just games
34:10
where you look at and you think we, you know, we really did
34:13
ourselves proud of and making this club something that people
34:19
didn't expect in this league and, and making sure that people
34:24
know people's sports there. They're not, they're not a team
34:28
that or we can just go there and get 3 points or we should get 3
34:31
points today. They now know that Peter the
34:33
sports and obviously he didn't start too well this season, but
34:36
they're still they still knew and they still know now
34:40
obviously under field now as well that Peter the sports are a
34:44
tough team to to play against. Absolutely.
34:47
So we're gonna go. I don't really don't wanna go to
34:49
another break, but we've got to, unfortunately.
34:52
So we'll have a few more ads and then we'll come back with
34:54
Michael and talk about what's next for Michael Gash, PCR FM
34:59
PCRFM. OK, welcome back to PCR sports.
35:03
We've got Michael gash in the studio.
35:06
So looking back at the, the the this season, then Michael,
35:10
you've you've watched most of it from the from the sidelines,
35:14
unfortunately relieved of your duties as manager at the start
35:17
of the season. New era at sports, a very
35:21
exciting one. And you're still a player there,
35:25
which is which is fantastic news for a lot of of sports fans.
35:29
Was that a difficult decision for you?
35:30
No, it's well. Yeah, it's an easy decision, the
35:34
two. Obviously I'm contracted as a
35:36
player. So like you said, we lost our
35:39
job as managers. That happens in football.
35:41
It's results based and me and Luke, we can accept that.
35:45
We can take that. We've been in the game long
35:46
enough, We know how it works. I was still contracted as a
35:50
player, so I'm still there as a player.
35:54
So I I couldn't just leave anyway, but I wouldn't want to
35:59
leave either. And that's my playing side, my
36:03
playing head. Saying that, I've been in
36:06
dressing rooms before where managers have come and gone,
36:08
managers I got on with and then they've gone, managers I didn't
36:12
really get on with and then they've gone.
36:13
The new manager comes in. It's your job to impress him and
36:18
show him why you should be in the starting 11.
36:21
Unfortunately I can't do that because my ankle, but me and
36:27
Phil had a meeting straight away and we spoke about everything
36:33
and he was happy and I was happy that I'm here and I will give
36:38
100% to him and 100% to this football club whilst I'm
36:43
contracted to them. That's how it should be.
36:45
But that's who I am as well and that's who I am as a footballer.
36:49
I always have a professional mindset and my job at this
36:53
football club is to do as well as I can for this football club.
36:59
But that wouldn't be questioned anyway because I want to do as
37:02
well as I can for myself, for my family, for the fans that pay
37:06
their money to come and watch. I want to be the best player on
37:09
that pitch every single, every single game, and that's for my
37:13
team and against the other team as well.
37:15
So yeah, it was an easy decision.
37:17
I want to play football. Yes, I'm 39, but I still want to
37:21
play football and I want to play football here at Peter Sports
37:25
till Mark, you know, contract runs out and then we'll see what
37:28
happens. But I'm fully focused and, you
37:32
know, got 100% and and Tim knows that.
37:34
And yes, we've all had meetings and discussions, but I know who
37:38
I am as a person and as a footballer and that is to give
37:41
my everything for people sports. I've I've got a question.
37:45
Written down here. Do you still want to play?
37:47
And I'm not even gonna bothers Rusty because all through you,
37:50
you know, it's obvious that you do you still think you've got
37:53
something to add as a player? What about further on down in
37:57
your career? We're thinking, you know, when
37:59
that does that time does come that you have to hang up your
38:02
boots. How's your management experience
38:04
that sports put you off or do you want another go?
38:06
No, no, definitely would. Want another go.
38:08
Listen, I know I was very lucky and very fortunate to be put
38:12
into the position that I was and managing Peter of Sports from
38:18
Jimmy Dean leaving and Jim ringing me and saying, you know,
38:23
Gashi, I want, I want you to take the job.
38:25
I've told Grant, who is the old chairman, that what I think is
38:30
best. Grant's happy with that.
38:32
So, you know, thanks to them, too.
38:34
I, you know, I got the job and then brought Luke in and then
38:38
Tim coming in very shortly after that.
38:41
He, you know, he was happy with myself and Luke.
38:45
And then yeah, he just went from there and really, really enjoyed
38:50
it. Really didn't know how much work
38:52
it was and everything you have to deal with.
38:56
I knew that obviously there were stuff that you would have to
38:58
deal with as a manager, but did I underestimate it may be a
39:04
little bit of my honestly, my phone would 4050 times a day
39:11
calls or messages just about football.
39:13
And it was mental. But I absolutely loved it.
39:16
I loved it. And that's given me, you know,
39:18
the hunger to think, yeah, OK, go and do your badges.
39:23
Go and look into what you possibly could achieve as a
39:26
manager. But I know like I said, I was
39:29
very lucky and fortunate to be put in as my first manager's job
39:33
at this level of football. But like I say, very grateful to
39:37
everyone them, you know, Jimmy Grant and and then Tim because,
39:45
you know, the club was heading in, you know, a direction where,
39:48
you know, maybe it wasn't sustainable.
39:50
And then Tim came in and he changed all that and he was
39:53
brilliant. And he's the most hands on
39:55
chairman I've ever seen in my life.
39:58
And you know, it's all credit to him for where the club is right
40:01
now. And like I say, I loved every
40:05
single minute of it. Of course you, you always
40:08
believe and back yourself. And yes, we, yes, myself and
40:13
Luke, we believe that we could have turned it around.
40:16
But people make choices which they believe is right for that
40:19
football club. And you know, myself and Luke,
40:22
we we respect that. Will there be other
40:25
opportunities? Will it be Luke on his own, me
40:27
on my own or us 2 together? We don't know.
40:30
We've got other friends in football as well.
40:33
Ryan Semple's doing really well at Peterborough United.
40:35
But you know, I think through Michael Through's coaching at
40:39
Stanford as well. So who knows where we could be
40:43
in a few years time we might have a group of us all doing
40:46
something at a football club locally.
40:48
But yeah, something like you're saying is that I'll probably
40:51
look in the future of wanting to do, I really do want to try and
40:54
stay in football. But you know, sometimes it's
40:56
it's not possible and it might just end up with me, my son and
41:01
my dad going to watch Spurs every Saturday.
41:03
Hopefully they can improve. Surely it won't get that bad?
41:07
Well, hopefully. It's a Spurs fan then, yes.
41:10
Yeah, about Spurs fan. Are you a north London boy?
41:13
No. So I was.
41:14
I was. Born in Germany, so but my dad's
41:16
a Spurs fan. OK, he's he's, he's from
41:20
Scarborough, so my mom's from Market Harbour, but they met in
41:24
Scarborough. And then but he, I think from a
41:28
young age he liked Spurs. Think his favorite of the player
41:32
is Jimmy Grieves. So yeah, just following my dad's
41:35
footsteps and then made my son and my daughter support Spurs.
41:40
She poppy's more of a people sports fan than a Spurs fan, but
41:43
Edwards both. So yeah, loved growing up
41:48
watching Spurs Teddy sharing and Jurgen Klinsmann Genola, they
41:54
they were Gazza. Gazza was.
41:57
I was a. Little bit too young for Gazza.
41:59
I can just kind of a tiny bit remembering him.
42:03
It's probably more from videos because of that 91 cup final but
42:06
and the semi final against Arsenal is free kick.
42:09
But yeah, my when I really started to know players, it was
42:13
like sharing them. Anderton Barnby like Ian Walker
42:17
and Goal don't wanna say his name but so Cam because I was.
42:21
About to say that, but no. Yeah, Telly Sheringham was.
42:24
My was like my footballing hero kept growing up as I suppose,
42:28
but I did love Yogen Klinsman and then Ginola as well.
42:31
So I I was at the cup final when.
42:33
Gathered in his knee and you've just said that you're too young
42:36
to remember that, which has made me feel really old.
42:38
So we're not going to go there at all.
42:39
But listen, we've unfortunately run out of time.
42:42
It's been fascinating this evening been real good show and
42:44
we always say we could chat for another hour, but tonight that
42:47
is so true. Thank you so much for coming on
42:50
Michael. Good luck for the injury for the
42:53
rest of the season. Really hope we see you back on
42:55
the pitch soon and thanks for coming into PCR Sports.
42:58
Absolute pleasure. Thanks.
42:59
To both of you, we really appreciate it and really enjoyed
43:02
it. Thank you fabulous.
43:03
Well, do you want? Us again next week.
43:05
We'll be back next Friday for another PCR sports show.
43:09
Thank you very much.