Author: Admin - Fri 11 Nov 05Website roving reporter Lauren Hall has been out and about again, this time tracking down Mark Atkins and putting him under the spotlight.
Q:
What's the best thing about being at Stalybridge?A: "The club is a good club, all the fans support the team very well. It was a good achievement to be able to stay up last year. That's what we came here to do and we managed to achieve it".
Q:
And the worst?A: "The travel. It takes us on a good day an hour and a quarter and on some days it can be two hours so I have to say the travelling".
Q:
What do you say to the lads when we lose?A: "I can't repeat it on here! John used to be the shouter but I have turned that way a little bit now. We have better players here now than we had to begin with and we need to be doing in a match the things we do on the training pitch. Sometimes it doesn't come off and when that happens I cannot repeat to you young lady what I say in that changing room".
Q:
Who is the best player you've played alongside?A: "I would have to say Alan Shearer and Dave Bassett".
Q:
Are you still in contact with Alan Shearer?A: "Yes. I saw him last in the summer. He was playing in a Testimonial with Blackburn so all the old lads were there".
Q:
How do you keep the players in line?A: "We fine them when they step out of line. When they break our rules they get fined and really with respect they have to have respect for the management team and generally these lads do".
Q:
Who would you be Assistant to if you weren't with Reedy?A: "If I wasn't with Reedy I would probably like to be a Manager myself. At this time in my life though I am happy being Assistant Manager but there will come a time when I would like to be a Manager".
Q:
What do you do after a game to calm down?A: "I go home and play with my kids, especially my little baby Lilly. The kids keep me calm, there is always something to do with four of them!".
Q:
If you could choose one player to play for Stalybridge who would it be?A: "Apart from myself? I don't want to say Wayne Rooney! I hate Manchester United so I don't want to say him. Frank Lampard, I think he is the best player in England at the minute".
Q:
Do you support a league club?A: "Blackburn Rovers of course!".
Q:
Do you think we have a chance of being promoted this season?A: "Yeah we have always got a chance as long as there are enough points to play for. We have a good squad of players but we are still looking to gel better than we have been. We are a bit up and down, playing well in some games and not the next so it's consistency we are aiming at".
Q:
Tea or coffee?A: "A nice cup of tea"
Q:
Salad or chips?A: "Chips without a doubt".
Q:
Quiet night in or night out with the lads?A: "A quiet night in"
Q:
Who would you have round for Christmas dinner?A: "If it wasn't Reedy and his wife it would have to be Peter Kay".
Q:
Stalybridge or Harrogate?A: "Seeing as though things did not go so well at Harrogate towards the end of my time there I would have to say Stalybridge definitely".
Q:
The highlight of your career?A: "Winning the Premiership in 1995 is definitely my highlight".
Watch out for more searching interviews in the coming weeks, but that's "Hall" for now!
