HAVING played against Dean Keates numerous times in my career, both in the Football League and in non-league, I have viewed at first hand the passion and pride that he has shown throughout in his career, most notably with Wrexham.
Dean wears his heart on his sleeve and epitomises the perfect role model in today's game. I have come up against the combative “Captain Marvel” and he certainly doesn't lack any enthusiasm, even at 35 years old.
He is a tenacious pit bull in the heart of midfield and isn't scared of putting his foot in and is very brave in a tackle. And he can also play.
There aren't many players who have the capacity to break play up and guard the defence while displaying composure when in possession and starting off passages of play.
With more than 550 matches to his name, it's no surprise that Keates has been an integral part of Wrexham's success over the past few years. He is the consummate professional who leads by example and was influential in Wrexham reaching Wembley twice last season.
With many of my articles attracting Keates' attention, he has been quick to offer his positive feedback and opinions. After interacting on Twitter last week, I thought I would ask him a few questions regarding his club.
I was especially keen, with the club being effectively run by the fans, how the Wrexham players have dealt with the uncertainty and doubt of recent seasons. “The fans are ‘this club' and are unbelievably passionate about it,” Dean said. “It is why it didn't die a few years ago.”
There was a point when the players weren't getting paid and were given a warning that that may continue. It must be hard for anyone in any job, I thought, given this ambiguity?
“When the club got into trouble, I was told one of the fans put the deeds up to their home as part of the bond,” Dean said. “Another fan postponed their wedding. They have climbed Mount Snowdon to raise funds and even pulled together to pay the lads' wages when we weren't being paid.”
Apart from repaying the fans by giving 100 per cent every Saturday, how else could the players express their gratitude towards the fans?
“I couldn't be more grateful to them and the acts of kindness they've shown,” Dean said. “It is their passion that makes Wrexham such a special club. The lads pay yearly membership fees to the Wrexham supporters' trust to show our solidarity.”
This season has not panned out how Wrexham would have wished and has got nowhere near the success of the past few years of dominating the league and competing with all the top clubs in the Conference, not forgetting good runs in the FA Cup and FA Trophy.
As the bad results continued, it emerged on Monday morning that player-manager Andy Morrell had left the Racecourse Ground by mutual consent. Having been in this situation many times in my career, I asked Keates how the news was broken.
“Billy Barr [Morrell's assistant] came into the changing-room around 9.40am and informed the players that there would be a team meeting in the canteen at 10.15am,” Dean said. “At the time, I didn't think it was anything out of the norm as we have had a few of these meetings over the course of the season and had experienced a disappointing game on the Saturday, losing 1-0 at home to Barnet.
“But when the manager walked out of his office at 10.15 in his normal clothes, I knew something had happened and expressed this to team-mate Neil Ashton. Andy then stood up and made the announcement.”
Keates, the former Peterborough United midfielder, does not have to spell out the implication of Morrell's departure. It is quite clear that things haven't turned out how Wrexham had wanted this season.
And yet with a 52 per cent win rate for Morrell, it's apparent that his standards had been high since taking over as manager two-and-a-half years ago.
“I was gutted as we'd played together for 15 months prior to him becoming manager and I classed him as a friend,” Keates told me. “Obviously, the relationship changed when he became the boss, but he was easy to approach and always displayed a ‘my door is always open' attitude, no matter what the problem.”
I have been in a side where a team-mate has gone on to manage the team, getting the job after stepping in temporarily. It is never an easy task. Gaining respect is a crucial factor in becoming successful and winning over the changing-room.
For Morrell to step into management for the first time, while still utilising his skills on the pitch, was very difficult.
He not only had to focus on managing the team but he was a key player, notching some crucial goals in big games. It must have been a very tough decision to leave the club. Perhaps, still, it is only a matter of time before Wrexham get their form back.
“I think his decision to leave shows what type of person he is and what he thought of the football club,” Dean said. “He stepped aside when he could have stayed and taken a chance on the remainder of the season.
“But he didn't, he selflessly walked away. In doing so, he allowed another manager to come in to maybe kickstart the season and potentially make a late play-off charge.”
Yet many questions remain unanswered. Why have Wrexham has been so unsettled, inconsistent and lacked lustre compared to last season?
“We had quite a few injuries early on in the season with the centre halves, which caused us to have a lot of changes in the back four,” Keates, the Wrexham captain, said. “This was coupled with a few harsh red cards along the way. But, ultimately, we haven't been brave and positive enough to go out and dominate the opposition.
“Unfortunately, when we had a few wins on the bounce, we weren't able to sustain it. Consistency is what you need and expect from a club at the top of the league, which is exactly what Luton have done.
“The manager and his staff had prepared us for the season ahead as well as any of the clubs that I've played for previously but it's down to those who cross the white line at kick off.
“We just haven't performed to the standard that had been set in previous years. Consequently, it cost the manager his job. I'm the type of person that takes responsibility for my own actions so it's natural for me to feel that we had let the manager down.”
I have mentioned in previous articles that the Skrill Premier is the hardest league in the world to get out of and Wrexham have fallen agonisingly short before. “Only one team gains automatic promotion and I strongly believe that this needs to change,” Dean said. “Two years ago, we finished the season with 98 points.
“In any other season or in any other league, we would probably have been 10 to 15 points clear, so it felt ridiculous that we didn't go up.”
Wembley glory is important. Wrexham defeated Grimsby Town in a penalty shoot-out to win the 2013 FA Trophy. When they returned to the stadium six weeks later, they lost to Welsh rivals Newport County 2-0 in the Conference play-off final. How did Keates feel about winning the Trophy? Was it the highlight of his career?
“Going to Wembley at that stage in my career, having missed out previously, was something that I didn't think I would achieve,” Dean said. “To experience it twice within the space of six weeks was an unbelievable experience that me and my family will cherish for years to come.
“Some people might argue that it's only the Trophy but it could have been the World Cup or the FA Cup. Those two minutes walking up the stairs and lifting the trophy was a childhood dream come true. You can only thank the fans who dug themselves out of three feet of snow to create and share the atmosphere of such a momentous day.”
With Morrell now gone, maybe it is time for a new man to come in, a fresh face who can reenergise Wrexham's season?
“We are ten points off the play-offs and ten points from the relegation zone,” Dean said. “So a regroup is required. We need to increase the ten points off the bottom four to 13 as soon as possible and to continue from there to make that gap bigger.
“Only five of the lads are contracted for next season so most, including myself, will be concentrating on doing our best to earn their contracts for next season.
“We will be aware that the new manager, whoever that may be, will be watching from the stands over the next couple of games.”
It isn't quite over for the Dragons. The league has shown that it is still very tight and there are not many points between the top half and bottom. With my experience in this league, I would say that there is still a very long way to go.
At the start of February last season, eventual champions Mansfield Town were ninth, 11 points behind leaders Grimsby Town.
As my interview draws to an end, I thought it was imperative to ask Keates one last question. I wanted to dig deep into the mind of a senior professional player approaching his last years of football.
So what does a player who has known nothing more than playing football every day do when he hangs up his boots?
“I'm currently in the process of doing my coaching badges so I would never rule out the possibility of going into management,” Dean said. “I have been offered on two occasions the chance to work with a manager who I hold in high regard but turned it down as I still feel that I have a lot to contribute as a player.
“The manager said: ‘You will know when the time is right, you are a long time retired'. The club is in good hands with Billy Barr so I just need to concentrate on my time on the pitch and will contribute by doing the best I can for the team and club.”
It would come as no surprise if I come up against Keates again in the next year or two, whether that is on the pitch or against the team he is coaching or managing.
For the moment, he will continue to be one of a few players who has made it to the milestone of 35 … not out.
*Read the Secret Non-League Footballer's regular column at www.thesecretfootballer.com
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