Tough-talking Knox delighted with his players

‘Jimmy Knox, tough-talking Scot with the knack of producing football teams from nothing, relaxed after leading AP  Leamington to a Southern League Cup triumph and said “This is only the start.”  And he added., “After this success, there is no reason why we should not get even better next season – and win promotion to the Premier Division.” 

 Knox’s bubbling side completed the execution of Bromsgrove last week to record a comfortable 3-0 win and take the coveted trophy on a 3-1 aggregate.  Knox said: ‘I was mentally shattered after that game. There’s no doubt that when the game was over, it was the best moment since I became a manager.’  And with that behind him – in his first season as manager of the Windmill side- Knox believes his side can go further still.   He told [Ken Widdows]  ‘”We have made great strides this season and we are not going to let it slip back. There is a stack of ability in our side, the players work hard and they have lots of guts.’

‘”We were only 1-0 up at half time on Saturday, I told the lads not to get frustrated, to work at their game and it would come right.  It did – and we finished worthy winners.”  There’s no doubting that judgment.  AP were the better side throughout and limited Bromsgrove to one clear cut chance.   But for the most part AP were in control.    And I doubt if James Goodfellow has had a finer game outside the Football League.  

Goodfellow was my man of the match with his deft flicks and the way he made himself available in both defence and attack. But there were other stars in this startling triumph.  Steve Lee, the skipper, ran and fought and saw off the challenge offered in midfield. Ernie Wilkinson and Tom Bowden held together the back four like a vice.  Ivor Talbot gave his opposite number a gruelling time on the left flank and Keith Shrimpton. In his benefit year, picked up anything loose in front of the defence.’

‘But while the end product did not have the glamour expected of a final it was, for AP, a successful exercise in working together.  There was, of course, disappointment even in success, for less than 1,000 fans turned up to watch the club sail to its greatest hour. It is a problem which has frustrated AP all season. 

But Knoc says: ‘It is something the players are conscious of, but it does not affect them.  They get on with the job of playing football.”   It is a pity AP did not get the support last week.  For the team won a competition which saw the “big” names like Chelmsford, Kettering, Dartford and the like fall by the wayside. 

 Now they have added their name to a trophy that has illustrious past winners.   And It is not an achievement to be taken lightly.  Now it is behind them and the team have the more mundane task of finishing as high as they can in the First Division North. ‘  Knox concluded: ‘” I was appointed to do a job   I told the players I was the judge of ability and they had to work on the pitch.  They gave me that work – and I have been delighted