In his weekly, must-read column for the Parkgate FC website, Manager Billy Fox looks forward to a reunion with the club where he enjoyed some of his finest moments by sharing some tongue-in-cheek memories of that stint at Inkersall Road, talks about the Trojans’ charismatic Chairman, and why the bar staff at Roundwood Pavilion need to be at the top of their game at ten to five on Saturday afternoon, writes Colin Muncie for the Parkgate FC Website.

Staveley arrive at Green Lane after a difficult run of results since the turn of the year, winning one (a League Cup tie at Harrogate), drawing one, and losing five of their last seven in all competitions, a series which has seen the Trojans fall to eighteenth in the table, eight points above the Steelmen.
During his time in charge, Foxy took Staveley to the NCEL First Division Championship in 2010/11. Back in the Premier Division, he memorably led the Trojans to the semi-final of the FA Vase in 2011/2, losing out on aggregate to Dunston UTS. Ironically, Foxy’s last game in charge at Staveley was a home game with Parkgate in February 2013!

Foxy takes up the story “Staveley -who visit on Saturday -were brilliant to me. The Chairman Terry (Damms, also Chairman at Project Contractors HKL Specialists) never batted an eyelid when I signed a player: he just cracked open another bottle of Champagne -and another safe!”

They were obviously heady days in Derbyshire-and it wasn’t just the champagne which flowed-the football did too “The players used to put monkeys (£500 notes) down their socks to use as shin pads” Foxy joked.” Some of them could not run with all the cash falling out of their shorts”

Foxy recalls that he had quite a squad at his disposal. “We had some brilliant players who are now playing in the League or further up the pyramid. People used to ask me why the Chairman’s son (Ryan) played -they forgot to mention he scored forty league goals in that 2010/11 promotion season.”
“As when all teams are good people mention it must be money and give no credit to the team” Foxy reflected.

The Parkgate Manager hinted that the Green Lane bar will need to be well-stocked after the whistle has blown on Saturday.
“It’s a big game for both teams on Saturday -and I'm sure -whatever the result- we will have a glass of Bollinger ‘58 after the match” he said.

(Pic. Pitchero)

Billy Fox was talking to the Parkgate FC Website