TOWN'S PROUD JEWELL IN THE CROWN

WHEN Andy Drury left Stevenage just a month after winning the National League title in 2010, he thought his chance to play in the EFL had gone.

- CHRIS DUNLAVY

Yet within a year, a series of inspirational performances for Luton had earned the winger a fairytale £150,000 switch to Championship side Ipswich.

“It may not be a signing that gets the fans off their seats,” admitted then Ipswich boss Paul Jewell. “But you can’t dismiss the level of talent in NonLeague.”

Drury instantly proved him right, consigning the likes of Jimmy Bullard and Lee Bowyer to the bench and racking up 62 appearances in two seasons at Portman Road.

After spells at Crawley and Luton, the 40-year-old returned to his Non-League roots with Eastleigh in 2015 and is now the player-manager of Isthmian Premier Division side Folkestone Invicta.

Here, Drury remembers the intimidating figures he encountered on his arrival at Ipswich, explains the importance of his grounding at Sittingbourne and reveals which Premier League cult hero is the most skilful player he’s ever met...

FIRST CLUB

Sittingbourne. Everyone’s been through an academy these days, but it was different then. I just went up through the youth teams and made my debut at about 17.

It was a great grounding. You’re playing with people who are fighting to win because winning is what pays the mortgage. If you don’t do the same, you won’t survive. It toughens you up, and instils the importance of playing to win.

There isn’t enough of that now. You go to academies and there’s nowhere near enough emphasis on winning.

You hear talk about people still being youngsters at 23, 24 and that’s not really the case. If you’re any good, you should be playing men’s football by 20 or 21, and your focus should be on winning matches, not just improving your game. I learned that lesson very young, and it was the basis for my entire career.

BEST MANAGER