IT'S no coincidence Gary Johnson and Dave Challinor have got their teams to the final.
Knowledge like they possess just gives you a massive advantage. Knowing, seeing, feeling, hearing. When they've been in it for years, they know what it takes.
The National League is a unique division. How many times do you see managers come in from League football and it not work out?
You only have to look at the list of the teams promoted into League Two to see the theme.
Micky Mellon has gone up twice, with Fleetwood and Tranmere, Johnson with Cheltenham, John Still, Danny Cowley, Steve Evans – 90 per cent of the teams who have had success have had someone with intimate knowledge of the level. The only real exceptions in recent years are Graham Alexander with Salford and Ian Evatt at Barrow, but that was his second season so he'd had a season to really learn.
Over the last ten to 12 years, it's predominantly been Non-League players and Non-League managers who have been promoted out of it.
They know what it's like to play in a relentless schedule where one game to the next can be polar opposite. The turnover in Non-League can be quite quick. So you have to be adaptable and know a whole range of players, often coming up from the National League North or South.
It's never the same. You can be playing in front of thousands one week and have the euphoria that comes with it. On Tuesday, you could be playing in front of less than 1,000. The dynamic changes.
Your shoulders are back in front of 5,000 at home. Then, a few days later, you might feel like you're playing in front of one man and his dog.
Melt
I've seen Football League players come in on loan and melt in big atmospheres. I've seen young kids come in and turn their noses up at somewhere like Braintree away with their small changing room and little tunnel to walk out of. It's psychological and, as I've written in this column before, a big reason why some really struggle when they come out of the EFL.
Johnson has got in the right loan players at Torquay. Challinor has done the same at Hartlepool. Footballers who thrive on what's required. They've both really recruited well and got the nous they need.
Difference
Danny Wright at Torquay is a prime example. He had a spell injured this season but he's come back and made a difference – look how he affected the game against Notts County in the semis. He nearly went up with Wrexham and then did it, under Johnson, with Cheltenham.
Players like him are massively important. Take the Stevenage team in 2009-10, Luton in 2013- 14, the Crawley title winners – yes, they had money but they brought in good Non-League players. Matt Tubbs had been at Salisbury, as one example. They didn't go out and spend £100k on a League One player because they could afford him, they were buying players from their rivals. It's been proven it works in history.
Using past experience will be key in the build-up. Challinor has had success in the play-offs at both Colwyn Bay and AFC Fylde. We all know about Johnson's experience too.
The week before can be an anxious wait for players. Am I playing? The best thing for me was: this is the team and this is what we're going to do.
There are loads of ups and downs in play-off finals. It will be the ones with less nerves and who can stick to their gameplan.
