Jay is now working at Maidstone full time and juggles this demanding job with being a married father of four children “Hayley my wife is brilliant she puts up with a lot because if I’m not at football here then sometimes I’m out watching other matches or watching players which takes up a lot of time. It can be hard sometimes but since we have known each other I’ve always played football so I think she’s used to it. It is hard work and you’ve got to love it, if you don’t then it becomes a problem. It’s great I’m here every day and sometimes the family comes along. It’s a great club, Terry the Chairman is a family man so families are always welcome – it’s a safe environment here.”
Jay is passionate about his work and football has been a huge part of his life “I remember when I was a kid coming to watch Maidstone play football and it’s great now to see all the kids waiting by the tunnel to get the players’ autographs.” It seems Jay has landed his dream job but there are so many little boys who dream of growing up to become a footballer and manager so how did Jay make it when so many others don’t? The answer didn’t come to Jay immediately; “I don’t know! To be honest I got into it with pot luck. When I was about 10 or 11 my brother was going to soccer school and I went along with him - I don’t think I had ever kicked a ball and realised I was quite good at it and it went from there really – I got picked up by Gillingham at quite a young age and it just carried on. It probably is a little bit of luck if I’m honest, I don’t know. I feel very lucky because I get paid for something I love doing which is obviously a massive bonus.”
The football Club is a big part of Maidstone and the club welcomes families and has seen a surge in fans since the new ground opened. Jay is based in Bearsted and agrees that there are so many great things about Maidstone that the ground is just one of a long list of the County town’s credits “I’ve lived in Bearsted all my life and there are lots of good things to do in Maidstone. We spend a lot of time in Wagamamas now! The kids love it! The parks by the river are nice and we spend a lot of time at the Woodland Trust in Bearsted with the kids” It’s refreshing to hear that Maidstone has retained a home grown talent who continues to put Maidstone on the map.
Jay doesn’t mind the interruption to his day that my interview has created and gives me thoughtful answers to my questions. He is direct and doesn’t shroud his answers in statistics and quotes and this tells me what that magical management style is – the ability to create the right atmosphere, to spur the team on and create a respectful relationship with his team. In short, he comes across as a ‘people person’ and has that quality that so many managers lack – empathy and democratic leadership. He doesn’t strike me as the sort of person you would want to let down. Let’s hope that mutual respect continues to pay off.