The return of fan Q&A’s is finally here, after a nearly 2 year absence! To kick us off, Spartans Trust board member and goalkeeping superstar Craig Whiteman is first up.
So Mr Whiteman, how are you feeling about the changes on and off the pitch at the club in the last 12 months or so?
So 90% of me is feeling great. There’s a clear marketing direction from the media team, and the quality of work coming out of the club is fantastic by any standard, let alone by volunteers. On the pitch, in the last 12 months it was rock bottom somewhere around the 85th minute away to Dunston last October, but the club recognised the changes needed to be made to prevent a 3rd successive relegation, and they did, while backing him to get the players needed to drag us up. As the season progressed, you could see the culture of the club was improving. The lads know what this club means to the fans, and you can tell that during the games, we’d be down if Nashy and the team weren’t appointed.
There’s missteps for sure, no-ones perfect, but on the whole we’re heading in the right direction, and it’s nice to go into the first game of the season with a buzz about the place for the first time this decade.
When did you first start supporting the club and why?
So I remember going to my first Blyth game around 3 or 4, but god knows who and when. I used to go with my Dad a lot during those years, but towards the Harry Dunn treble era was when I started going on my own. My family has always had an attachment to the club, and at the time I probably needed an outlet to let my energy out, which usually took the form of insulting opposition keepers. As time wore on it just became more and more under my skin, which is why I do the additional volunteer work when I can find the time.
How would summarise the impact that Nashy and Woody have had on the club?
Transformative. When the previous manager assembled the squad and immediately threw them under the bus against the runaway league winners in the first game of the season, the alarm bells were already going off, which was made worse with 3 wins in 15(ish) games. Thankfully the new management team recognised what needed changing and did so almost immediately – I think only Charlie Wood is the surviving signing from last Summer (excluding Tyne Met lads who were already “ours”). We’ve had a summer to appeal to a bigger range of players to improve the team, rather than the “all hands on deck” approach last year which was needed due to how badly we were in the shit.
In terms of away days, where does that last day of the season at Bishop Auckland rank for you?
It’ll shock you to hear my memory is fairly hazy of that day. I knocked my head against the bus shelf on the way to Auckland, and that’s the entire reason the day is a blur. Definitely unrelated to the amount I drank. I’m told it was brilliant.
Who would you say your current favourite player is and why?
It’s hard to look past two of the big “dressing room” leaders – Paul Van and Jack Foalle. The way they dragged that team last season to safety, when we were on our last legs with injuries has made them cult heroes in my eyes already. I remember Jack’s debut, when Paddy McClafferty was injured on an attacking set piece. When he went off for treatment, Foalle told him to move back to the right defensive byline, so when he was allowed back on, he wouldn’t be out of position, and just thought “he’s a cut above what we have at the moment” with the game intelligence shown there. If I’m not seeing a shirtless PVZ at least 25 times this season I’m gonna be foaming.
Who do you think has been the best signing of the summer so far and why?
I’ve only been to 1 game so far (Berwick) so can’t really judge too much. The irony is that I’ve bought my first ever season ticket this Summer, and can’t get to any of the friendlies that we’ve scheduled. In terms of “names” Spence is going to introduce some bite in the midfield we were lacking a bit, Lanning is arriving with a lot of expectation and Olly will be expected to hit the ground running as well.
Who do you think is going to have a breakout season and why?
I’d like Dudger to get his flowers – I’m a sucker for a midfield water carrier and he grafts his arse off for the team, maybe contribute with a couple more goals and keep progressing as he is. I think a lot of the young lads are going to kick on, even with fewer minutes this season, Rio for example is having a class pre-season. I’d argue we don’t have a defined first 11 now, we’ve got a team that can win in a variety of different ways – whereas last season you knew how we were lining up, short of injury or fitness.
What are your expectations for this season, on the pitch?
I don’t want to get carried away, given how it’s been for the last 3 years. But winning more than we lose this season would be nice.
If I am getting carried away though, given how we played in that spell between January and March, coupled with the signings we’ve made.., I want my first class ticket bought for HMS Piss The League
Finally, what’s your favourite things about supporting the club – and what keeps you coming back?
It’s typically the only consistent time I get to see my closest friends all in one place – Because of the results last year, up until February I’d say goodbye to my mates in the same way you would at a funeral, “lovely to see you, shame about the occasion” so it’s nice that things have turned round and we’re talking about watching good football, rather than some of the play we’ve experienced over the last 2.5 years.
