Chris Hargreaves has enjoyed 20 years as a professional footballer stopping off at Grimsby, Scarborough, Hull, West Bromwich Albion, Hereford, Northampton, Brentford, Oxford and finally Torquay, who he has helped return to the Football League following their play-off final victory over Cambridge.
Q: You must be delighted to be back in the Football League?
A: I am very pleased. In fact I am ecstatic as it is an unbelievable feeling. After the last few years I have had it proves the old adage that good things come to those who wait. In the last five seasons prior to this one I had suffered four play-off defeats and relegation. We lost the FA Trophy and play-offs with Torquay in 2008 and I missed out in the Blue Square Premier Play-offs with Oxford a season previously.
The year before I was part of the Oxford squad that was relegated from the Football League and prior to that I missed out at the play-offs with Brentford. I also lost in the play-offs on penalties with Northampton the season before that so this success is long overdue!”
Q: Was there a real determination to succeed after last year's play-off heartache?
A: Every person who was involved in losing to
Exeter and Ebbsfleet in 2008 was really hurting and adversity makes you stronger. Nine people who played against Cambridge were still there from last season so it was more or less the same group of players who had a point to prove. It was extremely difficult but we made it in the end and the squad had a strong self-belief.
Q: How does the Blue Square Premier League compare to the Football League?
A: I don’t like to make predictions as they have a habit of biting you on the bum. But I think it is harder to get out of than any other league. You can’t read a team or a ground at that level and that makes it difficult to prepare mentally on occasions for playing in what can be a sand pit.
Some of the grounds are really barren as well and there feels like there is no one there. Don’t get me wrong there are a lot of good clubs at that level but it is extremely hard because you don’t know what to expect.
Q: Torquay got a lot of exposure though, didn't they?
A: We won’t get as much profile in League Two as we did in the Blue Square Premier league. The fact there are live games and a weekly show on Setanta means you are on television a lot, especially if things are going well. I think we appeared in 13 live games in our first season and ten live games last year.
That is an incredible amount of live football and more than any other team in League Two. It really raised the profile of the team around the town and helped get local businesses interested in the team once again, so dropping into the non-league worked out well for Torquay as there is a real feelgood factor around the town.
More to come from Chris next time as he talks about family holidays in Devon, blogging and the life of his lower league footballer’s wife!
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