Nathan Arnold: I’m ready to begin my new vocation

By Matt Badcock
Nathan Arnold, in his own words, is an open book. A winger who has had serial success, the 30-year-old won promotion to the Football League with Cambridge United, Grimsby Town and Lincoln City.
He's scored some memorable goals along the way, sealing Grimsby's win against Forest Green at Wembley, rounding the Ipswich Town keeper live on telly to put Lincoln City into the FA Cup fourth round before they eventually reached the quarter-finals, and hitting a late winner at Gateshead to set the Imps up for a title win at home to Macclesfield Town.
But it's what came after that Arnold – who also won the Conference North title in 2011 and has an FA Trophy winners' medal – should perhaps get most credit.
After Danny and Nicky Cowley's Lincoln were crowned champions, Arnold gave an interview to BBC Radio Lincolnshire that explained how he copes with anxiety since the death of his mum in 2015.
He estimates that of the 51 games he played for Lincoln, he almost didn't get on the pitch around 20 times. Even on the day of title glory, he phoned manager Cowley to admit he was struggling to play.
Less than a week later, he stood up in front of more than 60 people at Lincoln's Sincil Bank home to talk about mental health.
“It wasn't designed, it just happened that way,” Arnold tells The NLP. “I spoke out about my anxiety. Then four days later there was 60 grown men in a room that I found myself doing a talk with. We've got them on programmes, we've got them on courses and there's been some really good work.
“As I say, it wasn't planned but I'm glad it happened. There's so many things going on where I can give back and use my privileged position to help people.
“I'm an open book really and it takes people by surprise, especially in the football world. You have this persona as a footballer where everybody lives in their masculine and macho way. It was difficult speaking out – a lot of people didn't understand it, didn't get it – but when a guy messaged me two months after the event saying it had changed his life and thank you, that's the reward.”
Arnold is now studying for a masters in Neuro Linguistic Programming and this summer joined part-time Boston United as Craig Elliott's player-assistant with the added benefit of having more time to focus on mental health awareness and another charity he's involved with called Lincs2Nepal.
Arnold spent 16 days in Nepal with the charity, helping with their latest project building orphanages.
“Obviously I took the fines and I wasn't getting paid but within that, doors opened,” he says of cancelling a loan move at Salford last season that didn't work out.
“It allowed me to go out to Nepal with my charity and do other things. Thirteen years as a pro is a long time of sacrifice and dedication every day. I came out of it for four months and enjoyed it.
“Now I'm at a point where I can have my freedom still with my other commitments outside of football.
“But, don't get me wrong, I'm looking forward to playing. I'm a professional, I'm a winner and I've still got that instilled for me.”
He has turned down more money in the Football League to sign for the National League North Pilgrims, preferring to trust the instinct that has served him so well through his career and on his life journey.
He's excited about Elliott's plans at Boston, enjoying the early insight into life on a management staff and ready for the challenge next season where being part of something is most important.
“This whole survival of the fittest mentality we've all adopted, football is no different,” he says. “So for a young player or the younger generation, they think success is to possess as much money and acquire as many things as they can – car, house, everything like that.
“As you get older you realise they are all means to an end and what is important is your joy and happiness. I'm grateful I've got good people in my life.
“I've been on more money and not been happy. I've worked with people there's been resistance with. But the past couple of years with Paul Hurst, Dan and Nick Cowley and now at Boston, they are all like-minded people. I'd rather surround myself with like-minded people.
“I'm ambitious as well and I do believe I can be a success at management. I think man-management will be one of my strengths and getting the best out of people.
“We're recruiting at the minute and it's important we find the right people, not just players. We're creating an environment where everybody buys into what we're trying to do.
“I'm fortunate I've scored some iconic goals over the last couple of years and people will remember me for that. Now I'm going down this path, I want to do the same thing. I want to leave a club better than I found it. That's always been my mindset wherever I go.”
 
*This article originally featured in The @NonLeaguePaper which is available every Sunday and Monday
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