At the end of the 2019/20 season, it was announced privately at first that manager Jonny Clark was stepping down and handing the role to teammate Matt Hilsden. Now speaking publicly for the first time, we caught up with both of them.

Jonny, you created Northgate FC in 2017 and have been in charge ever since. Why the decision to step down from management?
It’s been 3 years of running everything at the club at every level. Manager, secretary, treasurer, stat man and – as you well know – journalist, all whilst playing as well. Over the last season I realised I had to start sharing the responsibilities or I would burn out, and my performances would suffer. I hadn’t exactly thought of giving over the management role until Matt was injured and helping out from the touchline one week and I realised he was just what we needed. He’s perfect for the role and I wouldn’t hand it over otherwise.

Do you think Matt will bring a different style of management to the club?
It’s hard to say at this stage. He’s been a part of Northgate since its inception and knows the history and players inside out so I’m sure he’ll be able to work out what is best for each player and the team.

You mention him helping from the touchline; how do you see his player/manager role working out practically?
We’ve spoken about it and he knows that one of my challenges in managing was performing at a high level in tight games whilst having to make managerial decisions. Ultimately he is both a player and our manager, and it is down to him to make the decisions on a match day now, including when to play himself or not. He is still a valued member of the playing squad and with the regular availability of some defenders in question for the season ahead he will undoubtedly be important for us, but the context of games and squad available each week will impact which side of the line he stands. I have 100% confidence that however he does things he will do it all for whatever is best for the club.

What have been your highlights / lowlights as manager?
Is it bad that the lowlight come to mind quicker?! The 8 goal thumpings against St Kents were very tough mornings, but the 5-4 last minute defeat in the last game of the season away at Kay Street was probably the most disappointing moment of the last 3 years. On the other hand, a 5-1 win away at high-flying Westwood and a 3-1 win against eventual champions City Church in our opening season were both superb performances all round.

What do you see for your future at Northgate?
I’m still as committed to the club as ever, and hopefully I can focus more on my playing performance on match days. I’ll still be doing all the secretarial roles, match reports, website and stats – so plenty to enjoy keeping this wonderful club going!

Matt Hilsden, welcome. How does it feel to be the new Northgate manager?
It’s an honour to be in charge of this prestigious club and I am excited to work with some great players.

What do you envisage your style to be and are we likely to see any major changes from the Clark era?
I don’t envisage many major changes from the Clark era as I feel that his brand of football suited the club and has had success in the past. I would love Northgate to be a hard to beat team, especially at home, that plays an attractive style of football when we have the ball.

Now that the new season has been confirmed to go ahead for September, what are your aspirations for the campaign?
I obviously have aspirations to win as many games as we possibly can and make a push for promotion. With finishing 3rd last season I feel that we are well placed to make a challenge for the top 2 places. However, our reputation among the league means that many teams will want to upset us, especially when they visit the ‘tangerine fortress’.

How do you feel about managing from the touchline, and how do you think you will balance your playing role alongside management now?
I am confident that I can make a balance between playing time and managing from the touchline, with squad selection having an impact on this. There might be games where it will be beneficial to the teams performance for someone to be on the touchline making changes, whereas other times that can be done from on the pitch. These changes could be the difference between winning and losing.

As a player since the club’s creation in 2017, how do you think Northgate has developed over this time and how are you going to continue to instil and promote the core values the club stands for?
There has been definite positive development at the club. Playing on a Thursday night as well as a Saturday morning has improved the performance. It has also been pleasing to see that the club has been able to keep the majority of the squad together with only small changes each season, building a sense of comradery, team spirit and ability to know each others ‘game’. With reference to the club values I feel that I will continue to promote and model them to the best of my ability.

What experience do you have in the past of coaching and management?
I’ve got a varied amount of experience really, from a degree in Sports Coaching, experience as a PE teacher and coaching of youth based teams in Oxford and Cardiff. Most of my experience has been as a coach, working alongside a manager or management team but I am confident that I have the skills to step up.

What do you expect your biggest challenges to be in leading the team this season?
Biggest challenge will be balancing playing time for everyone. Ensuring that we are putting the most competitive team out on the pitch whilst ensuring that everyone has a good amount of playing time.