ONE MORE PROMOTION TO CREATE A PERFECT LEGACY

GAZ Dean thought his dreams of a life in football were over when Nuneaton Borough were liquidated in 2008.

- CHRIS DUNLAVY

Instead, that catastrophe provided the launchpad to a legendary NonLeague career that has seen the 34-year-old captain England C, win promotions with Nuneaton and Solihull, lift the FA Trophy at Wembley for current club Brackley Town and earn a reputation as one of the finest central defenders National League North has ever seen.

Still going strong in his twilight years, Dean explains why Nuneaton’s demise was so beneficial, remembers a set-piece routine that went hilariously wrong, and reveals which Premier League striker was his toughest-ever opponent.

FIRST CLUB

Nuneaton Town. The club got liquidated, reformed two divisions down and they put a bit of faith in a few lads from the youth team.

I’m humble enough to admit that I wouldn’t have been ready for Conference North in my first year, so what happened was good from a selfish point of view.

It meant I got to play games, which is so hard for a youngster now. Too many of them want to play at the highest level and they’re reluctant to drop down and get game time.

They want that stamp on their CV to say ‘I played for such-and-such’, but you don’t learn that way. There’s no education better than playing proper games and learning from your mistakes, regardless of the level. By the time I was 23, I felt like I was 35, just because of how much I’d played.

BEST MANAGER

I absolutely love Gavin Cowan, our current manager. He’s one of my old mentors from when I was at Nuneaton so I hate to upset him… but I’d give this one to Kev Wilkin, just because of how many years we spent together.

Gav’s game strategy and attention to detail is probably better, but Kev nurtured me from a young age and probably made me the player I am today.