By Saj Sadiq
FC United caretaker boss Tom Greaves says the club needs players who want to play for the badge, and not the money!
The veteran striker has been handed the managerial reins following the departure of Karl Marginson two weeks ago – who had been at the helm since the club formed 12 years ago.
And the 32-year-old – who has scored 98 goals for the club in 243 appearances – is also adamant that whoever comes in permanently will be taking one of the most-coveted jobs in Non-League football, because of the huge fan base and the values the board holds towards the recruitment of their managers.
“Karl was liked by a lot of people at the club and he will always be a club legend,” said Greaves.
“We don't like to see managers come and go, so whoever comes in will be given the trust of the club and I'm sure they will be backed by the fans, just like Karl was.
“He was around the club for a long time and he did a lot for me over the years, so to not see him there when you are looking at the touchline is a bit different.
“We were all shocked about his departure; we just weren't expecting it and we are all huge fans of Karl.”
A long-serving member of the club with six seasons under his belt at Broadhurst Park, Greaves said taking the position of caretaker boss was a “no-brainer” but added steering a club with such lofty aspirations carries its demands.
“It's a difficult job, but it's a great job. The club is realistic. I wouldn't say the fans expect us to win every week, but they want to see the heart, desire and passion from the players and you need to ensure your players deliver those values.”
Sitting second from bottom at the foot of the National League North table before Saturday's 3-1 win against AFC Telford, Greaves believes the Rebels can haul themselves away from danger. But the nature of player they recruit remains paramount in a division that has many clubs with bigger budgets tempting players out of the Football League.
He said: “We are still finding our feet in this division and it's a difficult league with a lot of teams going full-time, and even the teams that are not full-time like Stockport and Darlington are paying big money for players who are dropping to this level for the cash.
“At the moment we cannot compete with that, but I don't think we are out of our depth and I believe we can compete in this division.
“We've just got to work on things and get the right players and the right mindset, which is what this club is all about and if we do that there is no reason why we can't compete at this level.
“We are a part-time set-up; we see the lads twice a week. They all have full-time jobs and if we ask them to come in for any extra days' training it's not always easy, but they've been great.
“However, some players are very money-minded and they get an offer from FC United of Manchester, but then end up at a different club who offer them an extra £25 a week. For me that's not good; we need lads who are not money-minded and don't play football purely for that.”
In the north-west hotbed of Non-League football, FC United remain just one of a number of clubs looking to punch away with dreams of progressing and moving up the pyramid. And the geographical congestion only adds to the task of recruiting the right calibre of player. Often, it becomes a rat race to land the one you want.
“We've got Salford, Stockport and others in this division and even in the leagues below we have Ramsbottom United, Mossley AFC and more,” said Greaves.
“It's difficult to get the players in, but there are still a lot of players out there who want to play for this club and we are looking for those types.”
Despite the pressure of the job, Greaves is hoping his first taste of management will not be his last.
“I've always wanted to give it a go and I'm never one to shy away from anything like that. It would have been something that I would have looked to do in a couple of years, but obviously this got dropped on me slightly, so I was happy to take the challenge on.
“I'm enjoying it and we've had some good training sessions with the lads and the coaches from the Academy have really been brilliant and very supportive.”
Meanwhile, for a club that hasn't had the best run of the results this term, the Rebels can still call on an average home attendance of just over 1,800, the third biggest in National League North behind former League clubs Stockport County and York City (3,157 and 2,825 respectively).
And Greaves says the club and players owe so much to the fans' loyalty – a key reason why he wants the right personnel pulling on the shirt for them.
“I love every single one of them. The fans have never shut up for a minute in the five or six years I've been at the club, and I'm sure they will never shut up for however long I'm at the club.
“They are brilliant; they make FC United of Manchester a little bit unique – we go a goal down or 2-0 down and they won't stop backing us.
“They'll back us and be happy as long as they see the club badge being worn with passion and heart, and I encourage them to keep that going because the players will respond.
“They are the embodiment of this football club and we are lucky to be playing in front of them.”
*This article originally featured in The @NonLeaguePaper, which is available every Sunday.
